


Restless Sleep

by IcarusWings87



Series: Restless Sleep Universe [1]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: Angst!, But fluff!, Eli is a useless Papachika, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Strong Language, pregnant Nozomi, some medical things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-05
Updated: 2017-05-20
Packaged: 2018-07-12 11:28:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 118,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7101352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IcarusWings87/pseuds/IcarusWings87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nozomi's restlessness might have something to do with the baby growing inside her but her lack of sleep comes from thoughts about her little family's future as well as her past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Letting out a soft sigh, Nozomi rolled onto her left side facing the alarm clock on her bedroom stand.

The bright numbers on the clock read 3:35 A.M. Another quiet sigh escaped her lips.

Sleep was evading her tonight much like it had been the last several days. She would sleep for only a few hours before her eyes would flutter open and that would be the end of it. Even the warmth of her girlfriend, Eli, sleeping next to her did nothing to help her get back to sleep. This go around, she’d been staring up at the ceiling for an hour before she decided to give up the idea that she was ever going back to sleep.

Nozomi chalked it up to restlessness. A lot was happening in her life at the moment. She’d been busy with photography portraits, Eli had just started her new job at the beginning of the month, and they were starting a family. And even though all of these things made Nozomi incredibly happy, it still gave her much to think about – apparently when she was trying to sleep.

Deciding to herself that it was useless lying in bed, Nozomi slowly began to sit up and swing her legs over the side of the bed. This was easier said than done, though, because as soon as she tried to sit up normally, she found herself unable to move the full distance. She laid her head back on the pillow for a moment before glancing up at her round stomach. The growing bump had developed to a point where somethings were becoming more and more difficult. Sitting up was apparently one of them that was now extremely complicated. Five months down, four more to go.

Eli stirred beside her momentarily, and Nozomi was worried that she had woken her up in her efforts to sit upright. But the blonde merely shifted in her sleep and settled facing the wall as her blonde hair cascaded over the pillows on her side of the bed. Nozomi smiled at her girlfriend fondly, but noticed that the blanket had slipped off of Eli’s shoulders. She reached over and tucked her girlfriend back in before leaving a small kiss on the back of her blonde head. Eli mumbled something but she didn’t wake. Talking in her sleep was just another one of the adorable things about Eli. Nozomi chuckled lightly before turning back to her task at hand – getting out of bed.

After some interesting maneuvering (that included nearly fully rolling off the bed and onto the floor at one point), Nozomi managed to get out of bed without waking Eli and without injuring herself. She stretched her back lightly before putting on her slippers. The bare floor was too cold to go without, even if they did have their heater going. Winter took no prisoners in Japan, not even a pregnant woman’s feet. Once her slippers were acquired, she stopped briefly in the bathroom because pregnancy also did a number on a person’s bladder and Nozomi had gotten to the point where she was peeing every half hour. At least it felt like that. It had gotten so bad that whenever she was working or whenever she went out shopping or with Eli they always had to make sure they weren’t very far from a bathroom. It was a hassle but Nozomi hoped that it would all be worth it in the end. Because Nozomi sure was tired of staring at the beige wallpaper in the bathroom. She should talk Eli into remodeling it into something more cheerful or interesting if Nozomi was going to be spending the next 4 months in there.  

Once that ‘errand’ was taken care of, Nozomi waddled softly out of the bedroom and into the living area and eventually the kitchen. Taking the kettle off the stove, she filled it with water from the tap before returning it to its position on the stove and turned the nob to begin heating the water. The click-click of the pilot light was louder in the middle of the night, but luckily Nozomi had remembered to close the bedroom door behind her. Once that was settled, Nozomi reached up into the cabinet (also a complicated task when trying to reach vertically over a cabinet and your stomach made the reach that much farther) and pulled out her favorite purple raccoon mug. She decided on a lemon ginger blend of tea, spooning a few heaping tablespoons of it into the tea ball, before closing it. She liked the taste of the herbal tea and it lacked caffeine, so if she felt sleepy again, it wouldn’t impede her trying to go back to bed. She had also chosen this particular blend for the sheer fact that ginger was good for the stomach and that it might head off any ‘morning sickness’ Nozomi might potentially encounter later that day.

Nozomi leaned her back against the counter as she waited for the water in the kettle to boil. She idly placed a hand over her stomach as she tried to make sense of all of the thoughts roaming around her brain. She They were going to have a baby. They were going to be parents. And while Nozomi was excited for the prospect, she was also worried about it. She wasn’t worried about Eli. Eli would be a wonderful mother. She’d have nothing but the best for her child and she would teach her to be happy. Eli would do just fine and smother the child in love. Nozomi could already picture Eli on the poor child’s first day of school: eyes full of tears, not ready to let her child grow up. The eyes of someone so genuine and caring. Eli had known love all of her life. She was praised for her academic talent, skills and looks since she was young by friends and strangers alike. Her parents were always supportive of their wonderful little Elichika. They had always been supportive of whatever she had wanted to do, and even supportive of the relationship between Eli and Nozomi because their love for their daughter was unconditional – even with their strict upbringings. Her grandmother didn’t like the idea but who could hate Eli? No one that Nozomi had ever met.

No, Nozomi wasn’t worried about Eli. She was more worried about herself. She didn’t know if she was ready to be a mother or if she even knew how to be one. She hadn’t had the best upbringing, her parents were barely there for her, even when they still lived under the same roof. And yes, Japanese culture promoted independence in their children from an early age, but promoting independence was far different from what Nozomi’s parents had been. Her father was never home as he was always working or on assignment in whatever town they had moved to that year. He didn’t have time to be a father and sometimes she was sure that he didn’t remember that he had a daughter. Nozomi’s mother didn’t work as much as her father, but even when her mother had been at home with her, Nozomi got the sense that her mother would rather be anywhere else than having to tend to her child. The relationship wasn’t malicious; it was just distant. It had become even more distant over the last couple of years when they found out about Nozomi and Eli’s relationship. Nozomi’s parents didn’t approve of same sex relationships and they made it known. Nozomi wasn’t surprised by the reaction, and she heard less and less from them over the years since to where it was barely one call form her parents during the year. Needless to say, Nozomi doubted what her chances were of being an actual decent parent if she couldn’t even have a good relationship with her own parents.

The kettle began to whistle, bringing Nozomi suddenly out of her own thoughts. She clicked the burner off and removed the kettle form the heat forcing the whistling steam to quickly quiet. Nozomi poured the hot water over the tea ball and into her mug before placing it on the back of the stove on a cold burner. She then took a small hour glass from the back of the counter and turned it over, letting the white sand within begin to countdown to the perfect cup of tea. As she stood there, Nozomi had another thought that troubled her.

Nozomi should probably tell her parents that she was pregnant. She and Eli had already told the Eli’s parents and they were overjoyed. But due to the fact Nozomi’s parents had yet to think of calling them at all to ask how Nozomi was, they still didn’t know. Nozomi bit her lip as she considered the prospect. She would feel guilty if she didn’t tell them about it. It was a huge step in Nozomi’s life. She was going to be a mother and she was already 5 months along. If her parents found out she was having a baby right before she was going to have it, or heaven forfend after she had the baby she would probably get more of an ear full if she just told them now.  Nozomi checked the clocked that was ticking away on the kitchen wall.

4 A.M.

Nozomi scrunched her eyebrows in thought trying to remember where her parents had said they were traveling to for this portion of the year.

 _‘Oh, that’s right,’_ Nozomi thought. ‘ _They had a job in Hawaii this year. So, it should be….’_

Nozomi waddled into the living room to retrieve her phone from its charger and then came back into the kitchen, checking her math.

 _‘Right, it should be about…’_ Nozomi continued her line of thinking as she checked on her tea timer. She removed the tea ball from her mug and set it gently in the sink with one hand while she worked her phone with the other. ‘ _It’s about 9 am where they are. So, I should be able to catch them before they head to work.’_

Nozomi stared at her phone for a moment. She knew she needed to make the call, but was it the best thing to do in this moment? Well, it was now or never. So, Nozomi picked up her tea mug and pressed the dial button on her Mother’s contact entry. She placed the phone up to her ear, wedging it between there and her shoulder as she placed both hands on her mug and blew on the hot liquid before taking a sip. She then waddled back into the living room and over to the window as she listened to the phone ring and then pick up.

“Hello?” Her mother’s voice came in clearly from the other end of the phone just as Nozomi reached the window and looked outside at the darkened street. There was a pause as Nozomi gathered her thoughts.

“Hello?” her mother asked more loudly, prompting Nozomi into action.

“Hey, Mom.” Nozomi’s voice was quieter than her mother’s, but it was clear. “It’s me.”

“Me? Oh, Nozomi, hello.” There was rustling of paper on the other end of the line. No doubt Nozomi’s mother was getting ready to go to work. “What do I owe the call this early in the morning? What time is there, anyway?”

“4 A.M.”

“Shouldn’t you be sleeping? It’s not good for you to be up this late. I thought you were more responsible than that…” her mother replied distractedly. But the comment was still harsh in execution. Nozomi was used to it. “

“I do sleep normally,” Nozomi tried to answer without sounding irritated.

“But I just woke up and I couldn’t get back to sleep. And I hadn’t spoken to you and dad in a while so I thought I would give ya a call since I was awake anyhow. Also, I had something I wanted to talk to you about.” Nozomi added, attempting to sound upbeat. Her mother on the other hand let out a long sigh.

It did not look to be a promising conversation, so Nozomi held fast to the hot mug in her hands.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli finds Nozomi missing from their bed. She goes to find her.

Eli rolled over in her sleep and reached out expecting to cuddle into Nozomi’s back. But when her arm landed on empty sheets instead of the warm body of her pregnant girlfriend, Eli groggily opened her eyes. She felt around a little more. Nozomi’s side of the bed was cold. Eli lifted her head, then, scanning to see if the light in the bathroom was on or if she heard the sound of running water. Her girlfriend had been prone to frequent bathroom visits during the night lately so that was the first place to check. But from the look and sound of it, she wasn’t in there. Rubbing her eyes and sitting up, Eli removed the blanket from her torso and slid to the edge of the bed to begin her search for her missing girlfriend.

  
The clock read 4:15 A.M. Eli groaned. Her alarm wasn’t set to go off for another two and a half hours. But she needed to check on Nozomi and convince her to come back to bed so Eli could cuddle her. Also, so Nozomi could also get some sleep. The other woman hadn’t been sleeping very well the past few weeks. The doctor said that it was part of this part of the pregnancy, part getting used to her growing body and part being her hormones fluxuating due to the pregnancy. Whatever the reason was tonight, Eli would bring her back to bed. The blonde grabbed her robe and tied it on herself as her feet found her slippers.

  
‘When had it gotten so cold in here?’ Eli asked herself as she shivered and then went to check the thermostat on the wall, turning it up to take the chill off of the room. Once that was settled she stepped into the hallway, closing the bedroom door behind her. Coming down the hallway, Eli could see the trace evidence of the light from above the stove being on. Her nose caught the smell of tea. Nozomi had to be awake so Eli continued down the hallway.

  
“Nozomi?” Eli called, making her way towards the kitchen. But Nozomi wasn’t in the kitchen. Eli frowned a bit. Nozomi had been here, though. The kettle was still warm, the tea ball was in the sink and the timer was still left out on the counter. Eli turned and made her way towards the living room. Walking into the room, Eli found Nozomi, standing with her back turned to the Kitchen, looking out of the window. Nozomi’s form shivered slightly near the window, the cold from outside leaking in slightly. Eli wondered why Nozomi wasn’t wearing her robe. She was standing near the chilly window in nothing but her nightdress which was a shade of lilac that accentuated the deeper purple of the older girl’s hair.

  
Eli took in the sight of Nozomi’s back, her hair flowing down her neck and then over her left shoulder in one large braid. Eli loved it when Nozomi wore her hair like this, it was a rare occurrence in daytime hours, but at night it was a sight just for Eli. The bottom of Nozomi’s nightdress flowed loosely around her legs as she shifted from one foot to the other. The bodice of the nightdress was tighter around the chest. But the middle of the nightdress, which was one loose on Nozomi’s slim figure, was now much tighter and soon Nozomi would outgrow it. Eli smiled contentedly to herself over the sight of the love of her life carrying her child; the perfect view, in Eli’s opinion.

  
The blonde’s heart fluttered in her chest as she thought about how lucky she was to have Nozomi in her life. Nozomi, her best friend and lover. The person who knew her better than she knew herself. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with Nozomi and they had decided to start a family together even if they couldn’t get married yet. Their life would move forward on their own terms and this was something both of them had wanted for a long time. Nozomi had wanted to carry the child so that was an easy choice from the beginning. And Eli knew that Nozomi would make a wonderful mom. Eli had seen firsthand how Nozomi had dealt with all of the μ’s girls and each problem that occurred. Nozomi was nurturing and accepting and the girls had never hesitated to come to Nozomi for her advice or even a little fortune telling with her cards. That was the roll Nozomi played for μ’s then, and even though high school was long over Nozomi’s role hadn’t changed. The two women still kept in touch with the Nico and the other μ’s girls and Eli had lost count of how many times the other girls would still call Nozomi seeking advice for their own lives, whether it be work or relationships.

  
It was wonderful how they all still remained close after so many years. μ’s had been their miracle, especially for Nozomi. Nozomi had taken care of them all like a precious possession, fostering their growth as individuals and as a group. Eli knew that neither she nor anyone else would be able to repay her for that. How did you properly thank a person for helping you become the person you were today? You really couldn’t. But Eli considered that she should call up the other μ’s members and talk to them about trying. Perhaps the girls would chip in for a present or maybe a party. They hadn’t had a baby shower yet. Nozomi would love that. She loved any chance to get together with their friends. As for Eli’s present, maybe she would buy Nozomi a new nightdress, one that was more comfortable for her growing figure.

Smiling at her plans as they percolated in her mind, Eli made her way across the living room to her love. As she approached Nozomi, she heard her say something quietly, a strangled quality to her voice that caused Eli to raise her eyebrows. Eli could sense something was off and when Nozomi didn’t turn around at Eli’s approach, it was clear that she hadn’t noticed the other woman enter the room. Eli slid in behind Nozomi and murmured a soft ‘hi’ as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend’s waist.

Eli didn’t notice Nozomi’s phone held to her ear in conversation, so she was caught off guard when Nozomi yelled out and drop something on the floor. Eli quickly let go and took a step back as Nozomi turned around to face her, hand clutching the front of her nightdress as her chest rose rapidly up and down from the scare. Eli noticed that Nozomi’s eyes were red.

“Nozomi, what’s…” Eli started to ask. But Nozomi cut her off as she remembered what she had dropped. Turning back around, Nozomi hurried to the corner. Eli’s gaze followed her girlfriend’s movement to see that Nozomi’s phone was lying on the ground and someone on the other end was saying something. Nozomi attempted to crouch down to grab the phone, bracing herself with one hand on the wall, but the odd angle and distance it would take to bend down to get the phone made it impossible. Nozomi made a frustrated and flustered noise before she turned desperately to Eli.

“Eli, can you pick up my phone? Please?” Nozomi asked, moving out of the way. Eli swooped in, grabbing the phone from the floor before handing it to her girlfriend. Nozomi placed the phone quickly back up to her ear and mouthed a brief, albeit frantic, thank you to Eli. Nozomi waddled off to the kitchen as she continued her conversation, her heart still racing.

Eli looked on in bewilderment as Nozomi made a quick exit to the kitchen, before she noticed Nozomi’s spilled and forgotten tea mug in the corner. As Eli went to grab a towel to clean up the mess, she caught a little of the conversation before Nozomi disappeared around the corner.

“No, sorry Mom, I dropped the…No I wasn’t...that’s not fair, I…It was an accident. I said I dropped...no, I’m not ‘acting out’...this isn’t wrong…”

Nozomi’s long sigh could be heard well into the living room. Eli finished cleaning up the spilled tea and mug before moving towards the kitchen. She stayed out of sight for a moment, catching the tail end of Nozomi’s side of the conversation. With each word Nozomi uttered, her concern for her girlfriend grew exponentially. Eli had seen the telltale sign of open sadness and tears when she had looked at Nozomi’s face. And Eli could not stand it when Nozomi was sad.

“No, mom, it isn’t about that. It isn’t…I want this, we both want this…No, this isn’t… I just wanted…I just thought you would…no, I understand…yes, I understand. I just wanted…Fine. OK. Ok. Yeah. OK. Bye.”

Nozomi voice choked out the last words as her mother dismissed her in order to leave for work. Nozomi shut her phone and set it on the counter before putting her head in her hand, trying to hold back the sadness inside her. She’d forgotten all about Eli’s presence in the other room, so she didn’t expect Eli to step forward into the kitchen. Nor did she expect to feel Eli’s arms wrap around her, securely. Nozomi tensed for a half a second before allowing herself to be held by her girlfriend. Nozomi delicately wrapped her fingers into Eli’s pale blue robe. It was rare times like these that Eli was reminded of just how fragile her girlfriend was; a bit like a butterfly, so delicate in Eli’s arms. Eli was now wide awake and in full protector mode. No one messed with her Nozomi.

“Hey,” Eli said softly as she kissed the top of Nozomi’s head. The hug was a little awkward due to Nozomi’s baby belly, but Eli managed a secure hold on her girlfriend.

“Hey,” Nozomi replied softly, holding back a sniffle. “What are you doing awake?”

“I could ask the same of you. I got up because you weren’t in bed. I reached over and you weren’t there. So, I came to find you.”

“I’m Sorry.”

“No, don’t apologize. I just missed you.” Eli placed another kiss atop of Nozomi’s head. “Wanna tell me why you were making a phone call at 4 in the morning?” She inquired, softly.

Nozomi shrugged, trying to downplay what had just happened. She’d rather just be silent for now and let herself get lost in Eli’s embrace. But Eli wasn’t having it. She pulled back slightly so she could look at Nozomi.

“Nozomi…?” Eli tried.

“I woke up and couldn’t get back to sleep…”

“And the phone call?”

“My mother,” Nozomi sighed.

“Oh.” Eli commented and gave her girlfriend another squeeze. “How are they?” Eli knew that the subject of Nozomi’s parents were a delicate one. So, she started light.

“They are fine, I think. I only talked to my mom. She was headed to work so she cut the call short.” Nozomi laid her head against Eli’s shoulder, not really wanting to talk about things. Eli knew that she needed to press further to get the full truth. Otherwise Nozomi would just suffer in silence. And she didn’t want that. The stress wasn’t good for her or the baby. It was a bad habit that Eli was still trying to break her girlfriend of after all these years. A habit she learned from being by herself.

“Ah. I take it they are in a better timezone than us since you called them at this hour. Where are they this time?”

“Hawaii. So, it was about 9 am there,” Nozomi replied. “It was the best time to catch them.”

“I see,” Eli commented. “What else did they say? Why the sudden urge to call them? You rarely do. Did you have a reason?”

Nozomi stayed quiet for several moments, not answering Eli’s question. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Eli with the answer, she was just trying to keep her emotions in check. When Nozomi finally pulled back and looked up at her girlfriend, she’d managed to put some of her mask back into place. Eli, of course, noticed immediately. She raised her eyebrows.

“Well, I thought it was about time I told her the good news.” Nozomi placed a hand on her belly, rubbing it lightly.

‘Oh. Well, that explained a bit of it.’ Eli thought.

“So, how did they take the news?” Eli asked, watching Nozomi’s face as she responded. Eli knew that the conversation about Nozomi’s pregnancy, with her parents, would occur sooner or later. Eli just hadn’t expected it to occur at 4 in the morning. But things rarely happened like Eli expected them too, so she had learned to go with the flow.

Nozomi didn’t answer straight away. She just sniffled a bit.

“About as well as any conversation with my mother goes...” A sardonic smile made its way onto Nozomi’s face.

“Nozomi, that’s not really an answer,” Eli frowned.

“It went about as well as when I told them I was dating you, Elichi.” Nozomi laughed lightly, trying to down play it. But the laugh wasn’t genuine. And Eli knew it right away. The small drops of water at the edge of Nozomi’s eyes gave it away, too.

 

“Oh.” Eli said. She then pulled Nozomi back towards her and hugged her once more. Eli knew how badly that conversation had gone with Nozomi’s parents. They had given the couple a cold shoulder since then and Nozomi bared the brunt of her parents’ inconsideration and distance. “It’ll be okay. I’m here, you don’t have to worry about a thing. You and the baby will be safe and loved. I don’t care what they say.”

Nozomi pulled away a bit. “But I do care. I wish I didn’t. They are my parents; how can they not be happy for me. I’m having their grandchild. You think that something I would do would make them proud. But they don’t care, I’m a disappointment, a failure because I love you and now I’m carrying our child…why can’t they just love me?” The tears that had been threatening to fall finally did, rapidly streaking their way down Nozomi’s face. Eli just pulled her girlfriend further into her own body and held her as she sobbed. It was like Nozomi was seventeen all over again and her parents wouldn’t call her on her birthday or the time they missed her high school graduation or the time they missed her college graduation. Nozomi’s parents were really rather horrible people if they could just go through their lives leaving Nozomi behind to fend for herself on everything she encountered. The good and the bad.

Eli and Nozomi stayed like that for a little while as Nozomi cried herself out. Eli stayed with her, patiently showing her love.

“I love you, my wonder girl,” Eli placed a kiss on Nozomi’s forehead. “You gonna be okay? Think you can go back to bed? It’s late and you need to sleep.”

“Yeah, I’ll be-“ Nozomi began but was stopped when she suddenly looked off. Her skin went pale.

“Nozomi?” Eli asked looking startled. But Nozomi didn’t answer. She just pushed past Eli in a rush, headed for the bathroom. Eli stared bewilderedly after her as Nozomi waddled to the bathroom. It wasn’t long before Eli heard the easily recognizable sound of someone throwing up. Eli sighed, wiping her forehead. And on top of everything Nozomi’s ‘morning sickness’ was getting the best of their night too.

Eli followed into the bathroom, stopping at the sink and soaking a washcloth with cold water before she knelt down beside Nozomi. She swept the hair out of Nozomi’s face and held it as the purple haired girl finished emptying the remaining contents of her stomach into the toilet. When Nozomi was finished, Eli placed the cold compress on the back of Nozomi’s neck as she laid her head against the toilet seat.

When she was certain that Nozomi wasn’t feeling nauseous anymore, Eli carefully picked up her shaking girlfriend in her arms and carried her back to their bed and tucked her in, placing the cold compress on her forehead to soothe her flushed face. After this she crawled in behind Nozomi and gently held her, rubbing her back until the older girl fell back into a deep, exhausted sleep. The stress wasn’t good for Nozomi or the baby and that had Eli worried. So, she stuck by her side as long as she could. But when the clock rolled around to 6, she knew that she needed to get up and start getting ready for work. Eli briefly considered calling into work but she had a meeting that morning in the office that she could miss. Maybe she would make it an early day but for now, she needed to leave. She hated leaving Nozomi but luckily for the purple haired girl it was her day off so she could rest for as long as she needed.

Eli’s thoughts were with Nozomi as the blonde got dressed for work and ate something for breakfast. Nozomi remained asleep, luckily and Eli hoped she would stay that way for a little while longer. She needed the sleep especially after the conversation with her mother. Eli couldn’t understand how Nozomi’s parents could do something like that to someone as kind as Nozomi. Nozomi was happy, why couldn’t they understand that? Eli didn’t know the right answer but as she left a note for Nozomi and headed out for work, she was formulating a plan to help Nozomi feel better. She would just need to grab a few things on the way home and pray that Nozomi didn’t have any further contact with her mother that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a part of my brain that really likes pregnant Nozomi. There is a softness about her being pregnant and nuturing during that period that I love. Unfortunately for my story her parents butted in. I'm sorry Nozomi is sad. I don't like her that way either. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy it, regardless.


	3. Chapter 3

Chairs scraped loudly across the conference room floor, signaling the end of Eli’s morning work meeting. She’d been presenting to a new client that morning so it had been very important for her to be on time and coherent during her presentation. The Ad agency that she worked for was a very competitive place, so that stress in and of itself on top of the fact that Eli was one of only four women working within the agency had her on edge, even more so than the lack of sleep last night.

So, Eli had shown up early, set up the conference room and then proceeded to pitch her ideas for a brand of instant ramen to a very eccentric owner. The meeting had gone on longer than expected; an hour longer to be exact. Eli felt relieved, even if she had a lot more work to still do on the account. The client and his assistants shook hands with Eli’s boss, before they headed out of the room chatting about idle business things as well as securing a follow-up meeting for the coming Monday. Eli relaxed as the big wigs left and began packing her things up so that she could, finally, head back to her office.

The meeting had been successful, but none of the original sketches and ideas had survived the meeting. The client was pleased with the ideas but decided that he wanted to Eli to expand upon the ideas she’d given him. Brighter colors, a chibi animal mascot for each flavor of ramen the company would produce as well as ideas for promoting the product through events and such. Eli would have to redraw everything before Monday, so that put a damper in her plans to leave work early that day and return to Nozomi. She’d need to stay her full shift, if not longer.

Dragging her things back into her office, Eli sat in her chair and leaned her forehead into a hand. This wasn’t how she wanted the day to go, that’s for sure. The fact that she wanted to be home with her girlfriend could not take priority over her job. She’d started at the company that long ago and while things were going well, she still needed to worry about maintaining financial security. She could not take off work whenever she chose to do so, even if she wanted to. Corporate life was brutal like that. There were exceptions of course, but there was nothing medically wrong with Nozomi aside from being pregnant and even then Eli would have to save vacation time to spend the first week taking care of Nozomi after the child was born. No, there was nothing to be done about it at the moment. Eli needed to focus on getting the new account’s drafts done. The only consolation was that if she put her nose to the grindstone, she’d be able to go home as close to on time as possible.

Finding her cell phone in her desk drawer, Eli swiped her finger across the screen, opening it to the home screen. The blinking light on the face of the phone had indicated that she had several missed text messages so she went to clear those out first.

One from Alisa giving her a cheerful greeting for the day and telling her about how her dance audition had gone.

One from Rin to the group chat they all shared; another random cat video that she just had to share with them all.

And finally, one from Nozomi. Eli read the simple message with a fond smile.

**Txt from Nontan:** _“Don’t get too busy that you forget to eat lunch again. <3 “_

Nozomi was always looking after Eli in little ways like this. Eli was notorious for overworking herself at times and Nozomi made sure to send her little reminders about eating lunch or taking pills or any little thing that would come to her mind. Sometimes the texts were just little bits of encouragement for Eli’s day. But regardless, Nozomi was always there to send them to her.

She quickly typed out a response to her girlfriend.

**Txt from Eli:** _“Don’t worry, I won’t. I hope you got some good sleep. Sorry I didn’t wake you before I left. I may be home late tonight. This account got a little complicated after the meeting.”_

**Txt from Nontan:** _“It’s alright. I found your note. Will you bring dinner with you when you come home? I don’t really feel like cooking.”_

**Txt from Eli:** _“Of course I will. Let me know what you want and I’ll grab it on my way home. I’ll text you when I’m on my way. I love you.”_

Eli closed her phone and leaned back in her chair. Nozomi was trying to go back to pretending things were normal. Eli knew her too well to come to any other conclusion. When Eli had first met Nozomi, she discovered pretty quickly that the purple haired girl was notorious for putting up a mask. She’d keep important things to herself, thinking that she needed to deal with them alone. To be fair, Nozomi had been left alone to fend for herself. At least she had until Eli had met her. And even then it had been Nozomi who made the first move towards their friendship. They had taken the next steps together. Always together, but old habits die hard and sometimes Nozomi fell into old behavior patterns, especially when it came to her parents.

But Eli knew Nozomi’s sensitive spots, she knew what to look for, she’d been in love with her since their second year of high school (at least consciously so), and she tended to observe Nozomi far more carefully than others. She saw Nozomi when she was away from the rest of the world, soft, unguarded in their home. Eli watched her sleeping face in the middle of the night when she woke up for the briefest moment. Eli saw the open vulnerability of Nozomi over and over when they were in the throes of their most intimate moments, reaching their peak together. She watched her in simple moments when she would brush her hair or make dinner or sit on the floor, leaning against Eli’s legs as the she did a tarot reading. Or the purely joyful smile that was plastered to Nozomi’s face for weeks following the moment she found out that she was pregnant and that Eli and her would finally be starting a family together.

Eli’s soul was connected to this woman so how could not inherently know when Nozomi was sad or feeling lost? Eli could feel it in her bones, but the hard part was trying to get Nozomi back to some semblance of normal. She needed to show her how loved she was, even without her stupid parents. For that, she’d need the help of the μ’s girls. And Eli knew just who to start with, especially since Eli would have to work a little late tonight.

Eli pulled the line app on her phone and promptly began a video call. After a minute, a familiar image and voice came across the screen.

“Nico-Nii, speaking,” said a crimson eyed woman on the other end. None other than Nico Yazawa poses in her signature way with one hand as the other holds her phone. In the background, a light groan in a very familiar female voice can be heard from off screen. From the looks of the background, Nico’s at her apartment and her hair is down for a change. Eli guesses that she caught Nico on her day off.

"Quiet, you,” Nico says to the person off camera, sending a glare in their direction. She then looks back to the camera as someone walks behind her, red hair showing up on camera before the woman exits the screen once more and presumably the woman goes out of the room.

“Hi Nico,” Eli says, smirking a bit. “Bad time?”

“Oh, hi Eli. Not really. Maki-chan’s just her usual self. What’s up, how’s things?” Nico says,

“Work is busy as usual. New account. I had a presentation meeting this morning and it went alright but I’ve got to redraft a lot of things for a presentation on monday. But at least it wasn’t a wash. I like it here, so I can’t complain,” Eli shrugged as she pulled out her bento box from her bag and set it on the top of her desk. “Lunch time finally.” She gestures to the bento.

“It’s like 2 o’clock. I guess the meeting ran long. Or did you forget to eat again?”

“Long meeting. You and Nozomi think the worst of me, don’t you? I’m not that forgetful,” Eli pouts as she opens her lunch and begins to munch on a racoon shaped riceball.

“No, we’re just realistic and we like to make sure you remember to eat. It’s called caring..”

“Aww, does the great Nico-Nii admit she cares about someone?” Eli smirked, and took another bite.

“What? No, I mean, I just don’t want you to die of starvation. Totally different than caring..” Nico crossed her arms.

Eli shook her head. “Whatever, Nico.”

On Nico’s side, there was a small noise, a whine, that came from off screen. If Eli had been talking she would have missed it because it was far too quiet.

“Nico-chan…”

Nico signalled to Eli to give her a minute, before she pressed the mute button and replied to her spoiled girlfriend. Eli watched the interaction, with a fond smile, even though she could only see  Nico’s side. But what was being said she could guess. She knew that Maki and Nico didn’t get to spend much time together due to Maki’s busy schedule as a first year resident at her family’s hospital. And as much as Maki and Nico downplayed their like of each other in public, Eli and everyone else knew how much they cared for each other. And if Maki had a day off she wanted to spend it all with Nico, as uninterrupted as possible. Eli was now unsure if she should ask anything of Nico and risk the wrath of Maki.

Finally, Nico returned her full attention to the screen and unmuted it.

“You sure this isn’t a bad time, I can call you later?” Eli asked again.

“No, I said it is fine. So, was there something you needed or wanted to talk about or did you just want someone to watch you eat lunch?” Nico asked, looking over Eli on the screen. Eli had been frowning in thought so Nico knew something was up.

“Yeah, I wanted to talk, I had a favor to ask. But if you’re busy I don’t want to interrupt--”

“Cut the crap, Ayase.” Nico interrupted. “If you need something just spit it out. You know you’re one of my best friends, next to the washi monster.”

Eli sighed. “Well, that’s just it. It’s Nozomi. And since you’re the closest to her besides me.”

Nico immediately frowned at this news, mind immediately flying to the worst possible conclusion.

“Nothing’s wrong with baby is there?” she asked, her tone turning serious as she settled herself onto the couch in her living room.

“No, no. The baby is okay. Nozomi just had a really rough night. She’s not been sleeping well lately, she says it is due not being able to get comfortable for very long. We’re still making adjustments since she’s getting farther and farther along. But last night I woke up and she wasn’t in bed. It was about four A.M. And when I found her in the living room she was on her phone. With her mother.”

A dark shadow went across Nico’s features at the mention of Nozomi’s mother. Nico went from concerned to fuming at the mention of Nozomi’s parents, it always did. Eli couldn’t really blame her, she was angry too.

“Unusual for them to call,” Nico gritted her teeth. “Must be their once a year check in. What did those toxic fuckers want this time?” Nico half spat.

“Actually, Nozomi called them. Since the time difference worked out and she was already awake,” Eli sighed, putting down her chopsticks and leaving the remainder of her lunch for later. She wasn’t really hungry anymore.

“I don’t get why she would, not after how they continue to treat her. Or you. You’d think that she’d---”

“Not the point Nico. Nozomi has her reasons. And I don’t really care how they treat me. But when it comes to her, it makes my blood boil. I’m just lucky, I suppose that we don’t have to fake our way through holidays with them. Or that they come to visit us.” Eli could imagine the awful scene in her head. At least they were spared their physical presence or emotional abuse in person.

“If they did show up, I’d like kick her mother directly in her stupid c----”

“Language, Nico..”

“Oh, you don’t have a problem with the word fuckers but you do with c---”

“ANYWAY,” Eli cleared her throat. “Regardless, Nozomi decided to call them. She decided that it was time to tell her parents that she was pregnant.”

Nico sighed.

“Yeah, I know. It’s a conversation we’ve been putting off, but it had to happen sometime. She’s already 5 months along. They would have found out eventually and we thought it would be worse if they found out after the baby had been born.”

“Right. Though it couldn’t have gone well if you’re talking to me now. How bad was it?” Nico knew the answer though.

“About as well when she told her parents about us dating. It was bad. And Nozomi was trying to hide the fact that it was bad. But I had already come across her mid conversation.”

“Of course she was. Probably didn’t want to upset you,” Nico leaned her head back against the back of the couch, staring at the ceiling. Nico knew how much her friend suffered alone at times, not wanting to be selfish or bother others around her. “She really needs to cut that out. The stress of it can’t be healthy for her or..”

“The baby.” They both finished at the same time.

“Ok, so how can I help?” Nico asked, looking back at Eli.

“Nozomi was so sad last night, sobbing crying, and then she got sick. I swear I don’t know which is worse, the hormones or the morning sickness. Though, I’m not sure why they call it morning sickness if it happens at any given time of the day…” Eli muttered.

“It’s just a phrase,” chimed in Maki who slid into the edge of the frame. She didn’t seem to care about appearances anymore as she half snuggled into Nico’s side. Nico wrapped an arm around her tomato of a girlfriend.

“It can happen whenever, but it should be coming to a close soon. She’s at the right time for it to go away.” Maki added.

“I hope so.” Eli commented. “It would definitely help her sleep better.”

“Has she seen her doctor about it yet? They could probably help.” Maki asked, twirling the end of a strand of her hair.

“She has an appointment next week but she isn’t happy about it. You know her and doctors.” Eli commented, as she sorted a few papers on her desk now.

“Stubborn,” Nico said.

“I know, but she’s going. If only for the baby's sake. She’s much more willing to do so if it impacts someone else.” Eli admitted.

“Ok, so back to the question, how can I help?” Nico reiterated.

“You mean, how can _we_ help?” Maki added, Nico raised an eyebrow as she looked at Maki.

“What? Nozomi’s important to me too. I just don’t know how to make the first move,” Maki complained before turning away. Nico planted a kiss on the red heads forehead.

“Right. We. Eli?” Nico nodded.

“Well, for starters, I have to work on these redrafts for this ramen account. I have to do another presentation for them on Monday so it is priority. While it shouldn’t be too complicated, it will be time consuming which means…”

“...which means that you can’t pamper and fawn over her like you would normal do because you’ll be working late for the rest of the week. Got it,” Nico concluded.

“Right, “ Eli began again. “And before I found out that it was both Maki and your day off I was going to ask you, Nico, if you would be able to go to the store so Nozomi didn’t have to get out to do so. Drop it by the house for her. I had hoped to be off work early today, especially after last night, so I intended to bring her lunch, if I’m working late then it isn’t going to happen neither the grocery shopping nor food is gonna happen today. But I don’t want to interrupt you girls’ quality time. I know how rare it---”

“We can do that.” Nico said, as Maki nodded.

“Do you have a list of what you need from the store?” Maki asked as a follow up.

“Are you sure? I could always ask Honoka...well, I could ask Umi.” Eli corrected herself. Nico snorted. They both understood that while Honoka had enthusiasm, she had a hard time focusing on any given task.

“Nah, l it isn’t a problem. And besides, Umi is as much a workaholic as you are. So, she’s probably working late at her family’s dojo. What else can you think of that might help?” Nico said, wiggling her way out of Maki’s cuddle trap for a moment and grabbing a pad of paper and pen to write down Eli’s list of groceries.

“Well, we haven’t talked about throwing a party for Nozomi. It should be a baby shower, really, but I don’t want her to think that it is ONLY about the baby, ya know?” Eli commented. “I want her to feel loved by us, her μ’s family. Because her birth family sucks and she deserves better. But I need help planning it. I hadn’t mentioned it to anyone else yet because you’re my go to for ideas, Nico. No offense, Maki.”

"None taken,” conceded the red head. “I can help out with the cost. That won’t be a problem. I’m terrible at party planning.”

“Yea, you remember my last birthda---OW.” Nico yelped as Maki elbowed her.

“Anyhow,” Nico said, giving Maki a glare. “A baby shower is a good idea. We were talking about one at one point but now is as good a time as any. We can wrangle the others into the planning. But let’s leave Riin out of it until a few days before or at least until we can guarantee she isn’t going to be with Nozomi at one of the photo shoots.”

Eli and Maki agreed.

“We’ll get Rin’s help with setup near the end. How about we put Kotori incharge of planning the party. She’s really good with color and decorations, even outside of her fashion design. I think she would be the perfect choice,” Maki said, thoughtfully.

“Good idea, Maki-chan.” Nico gave her a signature Nico pose.

“Yeah, well, only if she agrees to it anyway,” Maki said, pointedly ignoring Nico’s pose.

“Good call. Kotori it is,” Eli said, looking at the clock. “Oh, crap. I need to go. My late lunch break is over and if I want to get home before midnight I need to get back to work. Will you two call the others and talk it out with them? Ask Kotori if she is up for it. I trust you two to handle the arrangements from here with everyone else. We can do the party at our place, perhaps next week that way I’m done with this presentation. But she has a some senior pictures to take on Friday. We could do it then, that way she is out of the house in the morning and afternoon and we can get ready.”

“Sounds good, Eli,” Nico said. “We’ll let you know when we have more of a plan. Oh, by the way, do you know if it is a boy or a girl yet? That could help with planning.”

Eli shook her head. “Nope, Nozomi wanted it to be a surprise so we’re holding off. She said its more spiritual that way. You know her.”

“Yep. Ok. We’ll talk to you later. NicoMaki is on the job!”

“Why does your name get to be first…” Maki grumbled but waved goodbye to Eli.

Eli chuckled. “Yep, talk to you soon. Also? Maki, Nico?” Eli looked at her friends. “Thank you.”

“Any time, Eli. Now, get back to work so you can see your pregnant girlfriend sometime this century. Laters.” Nico said with a smile.

Eli waved as Nico disconnected the video call and set her phone on the table next to the couch. She began going over the list she had made for Nozomi and Eli’s groceries. Maki watched Nico from her position at her side. Maki snuggled into the small woman’s side, wrapping her arms around her waist. Nico smiled quietly as she checked over the last item on the list.

She set the notepad aside and then kissed Maki on the top of the head.

“Are you sure you’re cool with this? I know today was supposed to be our day in.” Nico reached for one of Maki’s soft hands, intertwining her own small fingers with Maki’s long slender ones.

Maki nodded.

“While I won’t deny that leaving the house wasn’t what I intended to do today, it’s for our friends so it is a good cause,” Maki admitted. “You know that I don’t like it when Nozomi is sad.”

“I don’t think any of us do,” Nico admitted. “It’s just sort of unnatural. Especially because it is her parents that keep being the cause of it.We’ll help however we can, though. We’re Nozomi’s real family, afterall. We take care of our own.”

 Maki hugged Nico tighter, as the smaller woman exhaled her frustration out of her nose. Nico’s compassion and fierce loyalty to her friends and loved ones was one of the things that Maki liked about her the most. That and her cooking. And maybe her cute butt. Ok, maybe Maki liked a lot of things about Nico Yazawa.

But the cuddling on the couch didn’t last long, as Nico gingerly prodded the redhead to let her up.

“C’mon, the sooner we help out the Parfait Gays, the sooner we can get home and I can make you dinner like I promised,” Nico stood up and stretched a little.

“Will you make pasta?” Maki asked, sounding like a little kid asking for her favorite food.

“Yep, with all the tomato sauce you can handle,” Nico smiled reaching out, clasping her girlfriend’s hand in her own before pulling her to her feet. When Maki was at her full height, Nico stood on her tiptoes and gave her a light peck on the lips.

Maki’s lips curled into a goofy, love drunk smile. “I love it when you cook.” She admitted.

“I know,” Nico said simply, without bravado. It was the simple admission of doing something for the one you loved. The only reward being their happiness. Nico wrapped her arms around Maki’s neck pulling her in for a deeper kiss. Maki happily accepted.

When the kiss was done, Maki pressed her forehead down to Nico’s.

“Alright, let’s go cheer up Nozomi,” Nico said, pulling Maki along so they could get dressed for going shopping.

\---

The late morning rays of sunlight made their way through though small opening in the window curtains and onto the edge of Nozomi’s face. She stirred in her sleep, trying to escape the light but it was too late, she was now waking up. As a sigh escaped her lips, she opened her eyes. She laid on her side for several minutes just staring at the clock next to the bed. It read half past noon. Nozomi had slept straight through the morning and yet she still felt incredibly tired. Her body was stiff and her eyes where sore from the crying last night. She didn’t have a job today so she seriously contemplated staying in bed. And she would have done so except for two facts:

Eli wouldn’t like it if she came home and Nozomi was still in bed. Not angry, just concerned. And after last night Nozomi didn’t want to do that to her girlfriend.

The second fact was that Nozomi had to pee.

Sitting up, slowly, Nozomi balanced herself on the edge of the bed. She noticed something on her bedside table and she smiled as she picked up a piece of azure colored paper that had been propped up against the lamp.

 

_Nontan,_

_I hope you feel better after getting some sleep. I had to head into work but I left you a few things by your bedside in case you weren’t. At least drink the water if nothing else. I’ll be home as soon as I can. I love you - E_

 

Nozomi smiled at the note before looking back to the bedside table. It was then that she caught sight of the set up on her bedside table. A bottle of water, a few tylenol, a small package of crackers and a chocolate hershey’s kiss still in its silver wrapper. Nozomi chuckled at the small candy next to all of the other things. She picked it up and twirled it in her fingers before unwrapping it.

“A kiss for the road, huh Elichi?” She smiled and popped the candy into her mouth, letting the chocolate melt on her tongue. It was sweet and of course it reminded her of Eli.

Nozomi did have a headache so she took the tylenol with the water and then proceeded to do a creative backbend maneuver to wiggle her way off of their soft bed. Boy, that was getting harder. She’d need to talk to Eli about doing something about it.

After she’d made a trip to the bathroom, Nozomi decided to rebraid her frizzy hair and then head into the kitchen to make some tea. She’d not gotten to finish her mug last night due to spilling it and everything else that had happened. Nozomi frowned slightly, trying not to dwell on it, but even with attempting to distract herself from the conversation with her mother she still remained in a quite a low mood.

She puttered around the kitchen a bit as she waited for her water to boil, looking in the refrigerator briefly, only to note that she desperately needed to go grocery shopping. It had been her original plan for the day but she just couldn’t bring herself to leave the house now. She’d try to do it after work the next night, she commented to herself as she closed the refrigerator door once more, and straightened the little fox kitchen towel on the handle.

Once her tea was ready, Nozomi walked around their little apartment with her purple mug in hand. Her thoughts went to the room around her. The bookshelf filled with Eli and her books; books on the occult, fortune-telling, and shrines that belonged to Nozomi, along with more practical books on craft making and drawing that belonged to Eli. The couple where so different at times, but somehow they worked together just as their books managed to fit, perfectly organized by Eli, on the shelf.

Along with the books where little trinkets collected over the years from various trips they had taken to Hokkaido and Osaka as well as Gacha prizes that they couple had one from their many trips to Akihabara; little cute, and sometimes quirky, animal figurines that Nozomi wanted badly and Eli found she couldn’t resist giving in to her girlfriend's wishes so she put yen after yen into the machine until they finally walked away with the coveted, usually raccoon, figure, a smile on Nozomi’s face and a lot less yen in Eli’s pockets.

These reminders made Nozomi smile quietly to herself as she then took in the photographs they’d kept. There where some of μ’s altogether, ranging from their high school days to Honoka’s birthday at the beach last year, and then there where the ones that Eli and Nozomi had taken together on their many adventures, Nozomi doing her best to capture Eli on their adventures when they traveled and the blonde experienced new things about Japan. There was a picture of Eli standing outside the gate to a large temple in Hokkaido that she’d never been to but Nozomi had visited long ago when she lived there. There was a picture of Eli standing near the base of Fuji-san looking as though she would try and climb it. Eli next to a large array of namahage statues they’d found at a festival a few years ago.

Finding herself thinking about Eli, she decided to find her phone and text her girlfriend to not forget to eat lunch. She knew the meeting would keep her busy but that was no reason to skip lunch. Nozomi didn’t mind reminding Eli of such things, it made her feel wanted.

**Txt from Nozomi:** _“Don’t get too busy that you forget to eat lunch again. <3 “_

When she was finished, she returned to looking at the photographs. Yes, there were many memories the two had captured over the years, but Nozomi’s hand stopped on a small frame that was sitting on the table near the couch. She took it in her hand and sat down, admiring the physical memory.

The string of pictures inside the frame wasn’t the best quality, that much was sure. It paled in comparison to the high definition shots from Nozomi’s current camera but it was one of Nozomi’s favorite photos. It was of Eli and her stuffed into a photobooth their first year of high school. Nozomi had insisted that they take the photo while they were at near a small cafe in Akihabara. Nozomi remembered that the then, surprisingly, sheepish Eli had protested but in the end Nozomi had won over the blonde with her insistence. Nozomi had never taken a photo in a booth with a friend before and she was excited to finally share this experience with someone she was close to.

There was the standard goofy shot for the first photo. Eli was a little uncomfortable at first and didn’t quite know what to do with her hands, but Nozomi’s enthusiasm made up for it making the picture pure gold as Eli copied Nozomi’s pose. The next one was more serious, the two girls smiling at the camera, looking natural. But the third one was Nozomi’s favorite of the set. Eli hadn’t known that there would be a third photo so when the camera flash went off it captured Nozomi smiling joyfully at the camera while Eli was looking at Nozomi with the most endearing expression. It was the first sign of Eli’s true feelings. It still made Nozomi’s heart flutter even if had been years since the original photo was taken. It was the first of thousands of photos the women would take together. It marked their start.

Nozomi felt her sadness lift a bit as she thought about the picture and her girlfriend. She automatically brought her hand to her stomach and felt the warmth that came from within. This child marked their future.

She was starting a family with Eli. They would be parents and they would love their child with everything they had. And so would the rest of μ’s. It was their own little family and now they would adding more joy to it. But would it be enough to wipe away the sadness she felt over her parents and her own past?

Nozomi could feel a familiar stinging sensation at the corners of her eyes. Dang it. She didn’t want to cry again, but the pregnancy hormones were doing a number on her control over her emotions. She felt a single tear fall and she reached for a tissue from the box next to the couch, bringing it to dab at her eyes. But she wasn’t fast enough, the tears came pouring out and didn’t seem to be stopping. Nozomi slumped back a bit on the couch letting herself wallow in the sadness for the time being. Her tears eventually stopped but she remained where she was, not feeling like doing anything at all now.

Her phone buzzed, and she looked at it, seeing Eli’s reply, which she in turn replied to, not letting on how she felt or that she had been crying.

**Txt from Elichi:** _“Don’t worry, I won’t. I hope you got some good sleep. Sorry I didn’t wake you before I left. I may be home late tonight. This account got a little complicated after the meeting.”_

**Txt from Nozomi:** _“It’s alright. I found your note. Will you bring dinner with you when you come home? I don’t really feel like cooking.”_

**Txt from Elichi:** _“Of course I will. Let me know what you want and I’ll grab it on my way home. I’ll text you when I’m on my way. I love you.”_

**Txt from Nozomi:** _“I love you too.”_

Nozomi set her phone on the coffee table and reached for the remote. A cheesy romantic comedy would cheer her up. She flicked through Netflix and found one, clicking play. She then curled up on the couch with a blanket that Eli had crocheted and began to watch. But as soon as the movie got into the plot Nozomi was already asleep again, exhausted from her emotions

\---

_Meanwhile, at the grocery store…._

“No Maki, she doesn’t need a 5 lb bag of tomatoes,” Nico exclaimed as her girlfriend hovered over the produce section.

“Are you sure? It says that they are on sale. So, that must be a good deal, right?” Maki said, inspecting the ripe tomatoes in her hands.

“This is why I never take you grocery shopping…” Nico muttered. Maki had improved in recent years recovering from her 'rich girl syndrome' as Nico liked to call it. But sometimes it was painfully obvious that Maki had grown up with privilege and didn't know how to do simple things like going grocery shopping.

Nico walked over to Maki and took the tomatoes out of her girlfriend's hands and set them back on the display.

“Hey!” Maki pouted.

“For one, it isn’t on Eli’s list,” Nico said, matter of factly. “And two, no one besides you would eat that many tomatoes in enough time for them to not go bad. It’s practical. Don’t spend money on food you won’t use.”

Maki seemed to understand the logic in this statement, though she forlornly looked back at the tomatoes she had just relinquished.

Nico rolled her eyes as she dragged Maki by her arm away from the produce aisle. “C’mon, we still have to get the rest of this stuff. What’s next?”

Maki waved goodbye to the tomatoes before turning back to their list and following Nico. Shopping with Maki always took longer than necessary but Nico didn’t mind too much. She just had to keep her on track.

“Looks like Miso, Rice crackers, Chicken, some fish, Pickles, Ume…”

Nico nodded and headed towards the meat counter. “C’mon, let’s knock this out and then we can go pick up lunch. And if you don’t get distracted by the sale items we’ll pick up Manjuu on to Nozomi’s and get your favorite from Homura.”

“The ones with the little tomato decorations on the top?” Maki asked, perking up.

“Yup, the very ones,” Nico confirmed with another nod.

Hurrying down the aisle behind Nico, Maki made sure to keep her eyes front and on their goal. Nico didn’t think she’d ever been in and out of a grocery store faster than that, especially with Maki tagging along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Again, Friends! 
> 
> Many, many projects going on over here on my end. But this (very long) chapter is finally done. I hope you enjoy it. There are a lot of words here. But I didn't feel like any of them didn't belong there. Also, I felt like it didn't make sense for me to break it into two chapters. Didn't feel right to me. So, here it is. 
> 
> I'll see you soon with more of this story. It shouldn't be very many more chapters for this particular story. Though, I am playing around with snippet additions for a collection. What do you think? Do you like Pregnant Nozo and worrywort Papachika so far? Let me know. I've got many ideas for other things so if this doesn't take off that's fine. 
> 
> Too many ideas, too little time. xD


	4. Chapter 4

***knock knock***

The sound that came from the door elicited a low grumbling noise came from the still sleeping Nozomi. 

***knock knock***

Again, Nozomi stirred but not enough to awaken. She shifted slightly in her sleeping position on the couch before falling back into stillness. The movie she had been watching earlier had long since finished.

There was a grumble from behind the front door as the knocking became louder. 

***KNOCK KNOCK***

Nozomi groaned a bit and attempted to roll over to ignore the noise that was disturbing her. She pulled the pillow from under her head and placed it firmly over her ear as she attempted to roll onto her stomach. But the moment she made the move to do so she quickly remembered why she could no longer do so. Everything squished and pinched in just the wrong way and Nozomi quickly rolled back onto her back. However, she could not stop the cry of pain that escaped her lips, nor the watering of her eyes from the sharp pain. She laid on her back and rubbed her stomach in the sore spot, attempting to apologize to her unborn child between deep breathing.

If Nozomi had been more attentive to her surroundings in that moment she would have noticed the voices behind her front door but she was startled from her immediate thoughts when another set of frantic knocks came from the front door.

***KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK***

Nozomi cursed a bit as she attempted to get to her feet. But being in the position she was currently in, she was no better than a turtle on its back. She rocked back and forth but couldn’t manage to sit up, let alone stand. She let out a sound of frustration but managed to call out to the unexpected visitor.

“One minute.” Nozomi attempted in a calm voice but the person behind the door remained persistent.

***KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK***

“I said one minute!” Nozomi called again as she attempted, more forcefully, to stand. 

Again, this was a bad idea and she found herself narrowly avoiding rolling off the couch and onto the floor. She sighed and laid back. 

_ ‘Maybe they’ll go away…’  _ Nozomi thought. She sure wasn’t going to get to the door in time at this rate, so she gritted her teeth and closed her eyes lightly. Pregnancy 25: Nozomi 0.

There was a rustle of paper behind the door and the knocking stopped. Nozomi was relieved for a moment, thinking they had, indeed gone away but there was the sound of a key in the lock that caused her to look over frantically. If Eli had come home early she could have let herself in without knocking, so Nozomi didn’t know who this could be. Was it the landlord? Why would they be barging in? Had they been late on their rent? 

Nozomi’s thoughts came to a halt as the door was swung open rather forcefully. Her eyes widened as she saw Nico standing in the doorway, holding a bag of groceries, looking very alert and worried. And directly behind her was a somewhat worried Maki, also holding grocery bags.

“Nozomi, are you alr---” Nico called in panic before she caught sight of her purple haired friend lying prone on the living room couch. Nico’s eyes went from concerned to slightly annoyed but she stepped inside. 

“Good Afternoon, Nicocchi. And Maki. What brings ya by?” Nozomi asked with her usual smile, trying to downplay her predicament. 

Nico eyed Nozomi as she and Maki stepped into the entranceway of the apartment. Maki proceeded to close the door behind the two of them. 

“Why didn’t you answer the door if you’re right there?” Nico asked as she slipped her shoes off and put on slippers. Maki followed suit before moving into the apartment proper. 

“I was napping and ya woke me up. But ya barged in before I could get to the door,” Nozomi said simply, her hands lingering atop her stomach out of habit. “But that also brings up the question of where did you get a key to our apartment?” 

Maki made her way into the kitchen with the groceries and began to put some of them away. This did not go unnoticed by Nozomi.

“And why do you have groceries with you?”

Nico rolled her eyes. “That should be obvious, idiot. They are for you. As for the key, Eli gave me a key in case of emergencies.”

“Elicchi never mentioned doing that. When did she do that?” Nozomi asked, her eyebrows shooting into her hairline. 

“About a week after she found out you were pregnant,” Nico admitted, following Maki into the kitchen and setting her bag of groceries on the counter where Maki was putting things away.

“We weren’t going to use it,” Maki admitted as she placed the miso in the refrigerator. “We just intended to knock but then we thought we heard you cry out and we thought something was wrong. So, we needed to make sure you were alright, especially since you weren’t answering the door.”

“Ah, that was nothing,” Nozomi said quietly, feeling embarrassed as she remembered injuring herself in her sleep.

“So, are you gonna tell us why you cried out in such a way that made me want to break down the door to get to you?” Nico crossed her arms over her chest

“It’s not my fault you overreacted,” Nozomi huffed as she tried to carefully to sit up once more with no luck. She tried to play it off by staring at the ceiling.

However, Nico didn’t buy it. She just kept staring at Nozomi until she began to speak once more.

“I just rolled over wrong. Things are a bit more complicated than you think when you are growing another human being inside you, including napping.” Nozomi finally admitted. 

“You could have just said that,” Nico rolled her eyes and walked over to the couch and crouched in front of the purple haired woman. She observed the frustration of her situation in her friend’s turquoise eyes. “You scared the crap out of us, you know.” Nico admitted. 

“You don’t have to worry so much, I’m not...that...fragile…” Nozomi commented as she once again tried to sit up. 

“I can see that. A grown woman still in her nightgown mid afternoon, struggling to sit up on her own couch. Really doing fine on your own there, Non-tan.” Nico smirked.

Nozomi huffed, defensively, trying to ignore Nico.

“You know, if you need help you just have to ask, right?” Nico asked. “It’s what friends are for…”

Nozomi finally gave up her struggle, and sighed before stretching her arms out infront of her and looked pleadingly at Nico, silently indicating she needed her help to get up.

“Uh-uh,” Nico commented, standing up again. “I need to hear it.”

Maki rolled her eyes as she walked out of the kitchen. “Nico-chan, just help her up. Don’t be an ass.”

“Stay out of this, Maki-chan. Non-tan needs to learn to let others help her. Especially in her condition.”

Nozomi pouted but eventually spoke. “Nicocchi, will you please help me up off the couch, I appear to be stuck.”

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Nico said, gesturing for Maki to grab Nozomi’s other arm. And together they pulled Nozomi into an upright position. 

Nozomi simply mumbled as she stood, smoothing her nightdress down in the front. She wasn’t exactly presentable for company.

“Ano, I’m gonna go change into some real clothes. I didn’t expect anyone to stop by today. I’ll be just a minute. Make yourselves comfortable.” Nozomi said as she waddled off towards the bedroom. 

Nico sighed and headed back into the kitchen to finish putting away groceries. Maki looked after Nozomi as she went before joining Nico in the kitchen. 

“She’s grown a lot since the last time we saw her,” Maki commented to Nico, who was going through one of the bags.

“Yep. Here, you’re taller,” Nico commented, handing Maki a box of rice in order to put in the cabinet above her. Maki complied and put away the rice.

“She looks healthy for this stage in the pregnancy, at least. Five months, right?” Maki asked.

“I think so. Nearing the sixth, I believe.” Nico counted on her small fingers.

Maki nodded thoughtfully. “Time has really flown since we started μ’s, huh? Nozomi and Eli are starting a family. I wonder which one of us will be next.”

“How should I know? I don't know what the others are planning.”

“No guesses on who, though?” Maki asked, without thinking. She put the remaining dry goods in the top cabinet.

“Well, if I had to guess I would say that Kotori would be next. But I don't know if Umi is up to the family thing. I am still unsure if she's actually gotten over her embarrassment enough to even have sex with Kotori,” Nico snorted. “Not to mention Honoka is always hanging around so they probably won't take the next step for a while.”

Maki seemed to agree and added, “I think Hanayo wants kids. And if Hanayo wants it, Rin will almost certainly agree. She just wants to make Hanayo happy, after all. That's sort of how their relationship has always worked.” 

“That is probably still a long ways off for them, though. I think that it is more likely Nozomi and Eli will pop out a second kid before anyone else gets a chance. They have always been the parents of our group, this just makes it more official with their own kids,” Nico leaned with her stomach against the counter. All of the groceries had been put away except for a singular takeout container that remained on the counter that Nico was fussing with. Maki contemplated as she gazed across the kitchen counter and into the living room. There was a pregnancy book sitting on Nozomi and Eli’s coffee table which caught her eye.

“Hey, Nico-chan,” Maki turned to her girlfriend, a thought coming to mind.

“Hmmm?” 

Maki stepped behind Nico and slid her arms around the smaller woman’s waist, and pulled herself close to her body. Nico savored the feeling and leaned back into her. A moment like this was welcome, especially since Nozomi wasn’t in the room to witness it and tease them about it. She smiled, causing Maki to smile in turn. Maki leaned in and planted a soft kiss to Nico’s neck. It was another moment before she actually voiced her question. 

“Nico-chan, do you want to have kids?”

Nico hummed for a moment at the feeling of the kiss but as soon as she realized what Maki had asked, she choked on the air she had been inhaling. The question had caught Nico completely off guard, though perhaps it shouldn’t have done so with everything considered. But, still, she didn't know how to answer it properly. Nico had considered having children one day. She thought she would like to raise a family.of her own and she was great with kids. She has basically raised her younger siblings, after all. But she had never spoken about it to Maki. Maki wasn't one for hanging around children. And Maki never indicated that she wanted anything other than her career most of the time..though, she did greatly cherish her relationship with Nico. Maki wasn't one to mince words. And if she didn't want or like something she was very vocal about it.

It was, perhaps, because of this fact, that Nico had never brought up the subject. She didn’t want her dreams shot down by the person she loved most. Maybe one day she could talk to Mako about it but today wasn't going to be that day.

Maki seemed to notice the change in Nico’s body language and squeezed her gently in the hug in an attempt to help relax her girlfriend.

By this time, Nozomi had finished changing into real clothes and had just entered the hallway when the question of kids was brought up. She remained in the shadow of the hallway watching the younger couple. She knew about Nico’s desire to have kids of her own. They had discussed it when Nozomi first found out she was pregnant. It had been a vulnerable conversation where all of Nico’s uncertainties and insecurities had flared up at the thought of Maki not wanting to have a family with her; of Maki not wanting children at all. Nozomi’s advice had been for Nico to talk to Maki and be open about the subject, but it was clear by the way she was acting that Nico still hadn't managed to have that conversation. Nozomi shook her head and stayed out of sight, secretly hoping that Nico would find the courage in this moment to do so.

“Nico-chan, what's wrong?” Maki asked, concerned with the way her girlfriend had reacted.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Nico said, pulling out of the hug and then getting a clean plate from the dishwasher and placing takeout food from the container onto it. 

“That’s a lie,” Maki said, simply. She tried to keep her usual abrasive tone out of the conversation as it appeared that something was really bothering Nico. Nico just ignored her and changed the subject.

“Nozomi seemed to be in an okay mood, yeah?”

Maki sighed. She guessed that she would try to talk to her later.

“Yeah, she did. I kind of expected her to be more upset. But she looked fine. Glowing, even. But that could be the pregnancy…” Maki conceded.

“Could be,” Nico shrugged and began heating up the takeout in the microwave. “Or could be the fact that despite her awful parents Nozomi is happy. I mean, the way Eli talked I expected the worst. But---”

Nozomi couldn't help herself any longer, and she stepped out of the shadows and into the kitchen. She arms were crossed over her chest.

“And what exactly did Eli say?” Nozomi asked. Maki and Nico froze.

“Nozomi!” Nico tried to act casual. “Oh, good, you're dressed. Uh, Maki and I were just…”

Nico looked to the redhead for help but Maki looked around frantically for something that wasn't them revealing that Eli had divulged too much personal information to them.

“We just finished putting away the groceries!”

“Yeah, that was it,” Nico nodded.

The microwave dinged, indicating its contents where heated.

“Oh, yeah, we went to lunch earlier and grabbed some takeout for you on the way out. So, you should eat it. Yea..”

Nico headed to the table with the plate of food and some chopsticks.

Nozomi looked at the food with a skeptical eye. “Yakinuki?” she asked.

“Haha, yup!” Nico said, with a convincing smile.

“Well, Yakinuki is my favorite..” Nozomi sniffed at the takeout, recognizing the scent. “And it looks like it is from my favorite restaurant too.”

Maki and Nico just smiled ‘innocently.’

“Coincidence, huh?” Maki laughed, nervously.

“Very much, so.” Nozomi sighed before turning to face the two girls fully. “Ok, spill. You brought me groceries and my favorite food. What is going on?”

“Can’t two friends just bring you some groceries?” Nico dodged. 

“Yes, they can but it seems odd. Especially since you were talking about Eli just a minute ago,” Nozomi pursed her lips. “Eli put you up to this, didn’t she?”

Nico and Maki just nodded. Nozomi rubbed her face out of frustration. It was a sweet gesture but Nozomi really didn't want everyone treating her like she was delicate. She was a grown woman after all even if she was pregnant.

“Look, Nozomi, Eli said that she had to work late tonight so she knew you two couldn't go grocery shopping,” Maki finally admitted. “So, she recruited us as a favor to do your shopping, that’s all.”

“And the Yakinuki?” Nozomi raised an eyebrow.

“She wanted to make sure you eat something today...” Nico murmured.

So, that was the reason for the visit. She’d need to have a talk with Eli later about airing their personal issues. 

“Ah..I see,” Nozomi said. “And into how much detail did she go into about last night?”

Nico and Maki’s faces dropped. They had been seen through. 

“Look, Nozomi, it’s not like that we just wanted to…” Maki tried. 

“We just wanted to cheer you up a bit and get your mind off things.”

“So….she told you all of it?” Nozomi asked calmly.

Nico and Maki nodded once more. “Yeah..”

Nozomi shook her head. That explained the food. Eli was always more pushy with food and making sure Nozomi ate regular meals after an incident with her parents, especially after they had first become friends and Nozomi had a ‘normal’ phone call with them. It was also the same day that Nozomi had admitted to Eli that she lived alone. Both had come as a surprise to the blonde at the time and ever since Eli had been an overprotective friend and eventually an overprotective girlfriend.

Maki looked from Nico to Nozomi and back waiting for a fight or something.

“Nozomi?” Maki asked after she was quiet for too long.

“Arigato, Nicocchi, Maki-chan, for worrying about me.” Nozomi said softly. This took both of the other girls by surprise. “But I assure you I’m fine. It’s a new day after all, right?” Nozomi smiled at them.

Maki returned the smile, but Nico raised an eyebrow with concern.

“You sure you’re alright? I know how much of an asshole your parents can be---”

“Nicocchi.” Nozomi warned with a look. 

“Fine, fine. Bury it if you want.” Nico said, exasperated. “But it doesn’t deter from the fact your mom is a c---”

“Nico!” Nozomi said, getting angry. “You don’t get to comment. So, drop it.”

“Ok. Fine.” Nico gave up and threw away the takeout container.

Nozomi stood quietly for a moment before Maki finally spoke up.

“You should eat while the foods hot,” Maki gestured to Nozomi’s lunch, but Nozomi didn’t look particularly hungry. 

“I know the nausea has been rough, but eating something will help. Even if it isn’t much. Helps more than an empty stomach.”

“You sound like my doctor, Maki-chan,” Nozomi sighed, sitting down at the table. 

“Well she is a doctor,” Nico chimed in. 

Maki ignored the comment. “Just eat. You know Eli will ask so you might as well eat something.”

Nozomi conceded, picking up her chopsticks. “Itadakimasu.” 

\-----

Nico and Maki’s visit had quickly settled into something more relaxed. Maki was her usual self and asked a lot of health questions about Nozomi’s pregnancy. Nico listened and added colorful commentary. And in the end, it was a pleasant visit with friends that Nozomi found she had enjoyed. She even held down her whole lunch which was definitely something to celebrate. 

So, when the two women left, Nozomi certainly felt in much higher spirits. She decided that she’d text Eli a quick thank you getting their friends to bring the groceries by for their apartment and to give her a suggestion for dinner. But when she unlocked her phone she found that she’d missed a call from her father. She paused, looking at it. It hadn’t been that long ago, either. She contemplated calling him back. It had been a while since she had spoken with her father and she did miss him. But it was unusual for him to call directly. Normally, she would talk to him on a joint phone call with her mother. So, this call from his direct line could only mean that Nozomi’s mother had broken the news about her pregnancy. 

As her finger hovered over the the screen of the phone, Nozomi debated whether or not to call her father back. She was weighing the pros and cons of doing so, when her phone beeped once more and a voicemail notification popped up on the screen. She slowly swiped the screen and entered the voicemail screen. 

Nozomi put the phone to her ear and listened to the voicemail message. It was, of course, from her father.

**_“_ You have (1) new message. First new message: _Nozomi-chan, it’s your father. I hope this message finds you well. I am disappointed to find that you have not taken my call. I can only assume you are busy with one of your photography hobbies so you might not be able to answer due to that. However, I need to speak with you on a matter that your mother brought up this morning on our drive to work. She tells me that you’ve gone and gotten yourself pregnant….”_**

_ ‘Photography hobby. They don’t even accept my job, no wonder they don’t...’ _ Nozomi thought as she took the phone away from her ear. 

She didn’t want to dwell on that thought and she certainly didn’t need to hear any more of the message. She could tell from the way he was speaking what his reaction would be. Her father was never one to get angry. He was a very calm man. That wasn’t what worried her. What made her stomach flip a bit was the disappointed tone in his voice. Even with him being so busy with work when she’d grown up, she’d always been somewhat of a daddy’s girl. Her strained relationship with her parents had always been closer on her father’s side, for whatever that was worth. 

Perhaps it didn’t matter anymore. Nozomi needed to resign herself to the fact that they would never be apart of her future life. They chose not to be. She looked down at her phone again, seeing another incoming call, this time from her mother. She wouldn’t let them bring her down, even if she had to ignore them completely. 

Nozomi frowned at the call as she made her decision but she gathered her will as began to put herself fully first for the first time in her life. Pressing the button, she rejected the call before turning off her phone. She tossed it on the counter, taking a deep breath. She just needed to  relax and forget, at least for a little while. Then Eli would be home. 

The very thought of her lover made Nozomi smile.  Eli was always there for her. She had been since their high school days. She’d taken care of her as a friend and lover. She’d welcomed everything that Nozomi was with open arms and so had Eli’s little sister as well as her mother and father. Nozomi also had her friends. And then, finally she had their child, whom was on the way. She felt a small flutter movement from inside her womb as though the baby itself agreed with her decision. She smiled, taking the sign as a very spiritual one. 

Yes, the family that she made herself made her happy. And that would be enough. She smiled once more. And as early evening was settling in, Nozomi decided that a relaxing bath was in order as she waited for Eli to arrive home.

\---

It was later than Eli would have liked when she arrived home from work and with the darkness came the onset of a deeper chill outside of the apartment. She was used to the cold, but sometimes it even got to her. Her teeth chattered as she slid her key into the lock, managing to unlock it as she balanced her messenger bag and a large bag of takeout in her arms. With great one handed skill and a little bit of luck, Eli managed to get the door open without spilling anything. She pushed the door open with the flat of her back and made her way inside before shutting the door with a hook of her left foot. It slammed a little harder than she expected but not enough for the neighbors to complain. Eli exhaled quietly as she slipped her shoes off. 

“Tadaima!” She called to the apartment, expecting to hear Nozomi’s reply. But when the usual response failed to reach Eli’s ears she looked around the apartment. The only visible light was that from the kitchen and the hallway leading to the bedroom. Eli raised and eyebrow at this as she set down her bag near the door and the takeout bag upon the counter ledge between the living room in the kitchen.

“Nozomi?” Eli tried again, as she peeked into the kitchen. Nozomi wasn’t in there. Maybe she was napping. She had been exhausted from last night. So, Eli made her way down the hallway and into their bedroom. She knocked gently on the closed door.

“Nozomi?” Eli called once more as she peered inside. The room was bathed in soft light from the bedside lamp but Nozomi was nowhere to be seen. Eli made her way inside thinking over the scene. Nozomi’s shoes had been by the door and her keys and phone were in the living room. So, she had to be home. She saw Nozomi’s nightdress from last night discarded in the hamper and then on the bed Eli saw a shirt, undergarments and a pair of comfy sleep pants that had been laid out in preparation for wearing them. 

Eli turned to the only other place Nozomi would be and she was pleased to see that the light was on from under the bathroom door. She took the few steps towards the door and knocked lightly.

“Nozomi,” she called, trying not to let her mind run away from her. She was probably in the bath.

“Nozomi, I’m home are you in there?” Eli asked. But when there came no response, Eli turned the knob and opened the door. 

Upon stepping inside, Eli caught sight of Nozomi laying back in the bathtub. She smiled as she approached.

“Non-tan,” she called sweetly, trying to avert her eyes from her naked girlfriend’s form out of respect. But again, Nozomi did not answer, so Eli stepped closer to see that Nozomi had fallen asleep in the bathtub. The purple haired woman’s head had lolled to the side, her cheeks were flushed. Her chest moved up and down quietly. 

Eli reached out and gently touched Nozomi’s forehead to find that her temperature was slightly elevated in response to her body being cold. The bathwater had long since cooled and Eli could see the pruning on her lover’s fingers. Eli knitted her brow in concern and she wondered just how long Nozomi had been asleep in the bath. But she did know that she needed to get her out of it and warmed up.

Eli leaned in and kissed Nozomi’s forehead and shook her gently on the shoulder.

“No-zomi…come on, honey, wake up.”

Nozomi’s eyes fluttered open and for a moment they registered Eli’s presence with confusion.

“Elichi?” she asked as her face flushed. “When did you get home?” Nozomi’s voice was quiet and it was more relaxed, her signature Kansai blend not present in moments like these.

“Just a few minutes ago.” Eli kissed her forehead again. “You seem to have fallen asleep in the bath. Come on. Let’s get you dried off.”

Eli stood up and turned to grab a towel, giving Nozomi room to get out of the tub.

Nozomi sleepily agreed and began to push herself up. She grunted slightly at the awkward angle she found herself in. 

“You ok?” Eli asked as she turned back around.

“Mou,” pouted Nozomi. “Help me up?” She extended a hand to Eli, who chuckled. 

Eli walked over and gently gripped Nozomi’s arm with one hand and then placed her other arm around her back. She lifted carefully until Nozomi was upright leaning against Eli and the towel she held.

“The water really got cold. How long were you in there?” Eli asked as she wrapped the fluffy towel around her beloved. It barely fit and Eli made note to by a few that would be comfortable for her girlfriend.

“I don't know. I guess a while.” Nozomi admitted, sheepishly, as she stepped out of the tub with Eli’s help. The blonde was now hovering. “I’m fine, Elichi. I just fell asleep. I was trying to relax after my long day. I wasn’t expecting visitors, after all…”

It was now Eli’s turn to look sheepishly at her girlfriend. “Sorry for not warning you. I just knew we needed groceries and...” 

“...and you thought I could use the company.” Nozomi finished.

Eli nodded in response. Nozomi knew her too well. 

“Was that a bad thing?” Eli asked, curiously, and gestured for Nozomi to go into the bedroom in front of her. Eli followed along behind her waddling girlfriend.

Nozomi moved to the pajamas she had laid out for herself earlier. She shook her head in response to Eli’s question.

“It’s fine. But you worry too much. I assume Nicocchi and Maki-chan confirmed that I ate.”

Eli nodded. 

Nozomi slipped on her pajama pants and oversized t-shirt. Eli had gotten it online for Nozomi to sleep it. It was purple and had russian lettering along with a little snow fox waving hello on it. They were much more comfortable than her nightdress from yesterday. She then settled in on their bed and began to dry and rebraided her hair. 

Eli leaned against the wall and watched Nozomi quietly. The blonde had already changed out of her work clothes and into something more comfortable.

Nozomi finally looked up. “What?”

“Nothing. You’re just beautiful,” Eli smiled softly, causing Nozomi to blush. 

“Silly, Elicchi…” she murmured.

Eli walked over and sat down next to Nozomi. She took the hair from Nozomi’s hands and began to finish the long braid. One brief touch to Nozomi’s indicated that she was warming up slowly from the cold bath water. “You were kind of flushed from the bath. I hope you weren’t in the cold water too long. I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold. Do you feel okay?”

“Just a little chilly but now that I’m dry I’m better. I will be fine. No sneezes at all.” Nozomi leaned quietly into her lover. Then she remembered. “Oh, shoot. I was supposed to text you about dinner. I’m sorry...”

“It’s okay. I grabbed something but I was a little worried when you didn't respond to my phone call. But now I see why.” Eli smiled, finishing the braid and tying the end with a hair band. She then turned Nozomi’s head to face her, greeting her lover’s lips with her own.

“Speaking of dinner, c’mon, let’s go eat before it turns into a popsicle like you.” But despite her words Eli lingered just a moment longer before standing and tugging Nozomi gently to her feet.

Eli turned to head into the living room but before she could move very far, she was stopped by  Nozomi when her lover wrapped her arms around her waist from behind.

“Eh?” Eli questioned, trying to look back at Nozomi but couldn't quite see her fully from that angle.

“I love you, Elichi.” Nozomi kissed the blonde’s back. “Thank you. For everything.”

Eli chuckled before quietly responding. “I love you too. Now, let’s eat and then we can snuggle on the couch. I’ll even let you pick the movie.”

Nozomi nodded happily and then followed Eli into the living room. 

Eli prepared their dinner on plates while Nozomi set the table with drinks and silverware. Eli walked past the kitchen ledge and noticed that Nozomi’s phone was off. She set down a plate of food in front of Nozomi, who was now seated on her side of the table.

“Your phone must have died while you were in the bath. No wonder you must have missed my call,” Eli commented as she settled into her seat and picked up her chopsticks. 

“Yeah, must have,” Nozomi muttered as she stared at her food and remembered her father’s phone message. She felt her appetite waning. Eli noticed the switches in Nozomi’s mood. She thought that maybe it was her choice in dinner.

“Everything ok? Did you not feel like thai noodles? I could make something else for you if you like...” Eli asked as she moved to stand up.

But as she did Nozomi reached out and put a hand on her girlfriend’s arm. Nozomi smiled at her as best as she could. Nozomi had promised herself that she wouldn’t let her parents get to her. And she had a nice evening with Eli ahead of her that she didn’t want to ruin. 

“No, I’m fine. Just tired. But I’m also happy you’re home,” Nozomi reinforced the sentiment with a rub of her thumb on the back of Eli’s hand. Eli smiled back at her, pulling Nozomi’s hand to her lips as she pressed a small kiss to it.

“I’m glad I’m home too. I’m sorry I had to work late on your day off. But with any luck, it will pay off. I see big things with this account for us. And they liked my work I just have to make some changes. So, it will all be over by Monday. We both have the same day off next week, so let’s make a day of it for ourselves. How about it?”

Nozomi beamed at her. “Sounds perfect.”

“Great, it’s a date, then. Now, let’s eat,” Eli said, returning her hands to her side of the table, and held up her chopsticks. “Itadakimasu!”

“Itadakimasu!” Nozomi said in reply as the two started a much needed, relaxed, evening at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I enjoy hugs from behind. I don't know if you can tell that...
> 
> Anyhow, this chapter is a bit of fluffy goodness in spots with a little bit of character things. Next chapter will be probably be the baby shower unless something strikes my fancy and I get inspired. Thanks for sticking with me.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! I'm back with an update for the story. My apologies for the delay, I did not expect life to take me out of it for a month. But I'm here now and I hope you enjoy the new chapter. Thank you for reading and commenting.
> 
> Cheers!  
> \---

The following had week turned out to be much busier than anyone had anticipated. Eli’s redrafts had been successful, but at the last minute the client had decided to order an additional portion of the project in the form of full designs for a spur of the moment billboard campaign. So, Eli’s work piled up once more and she had to kiss her planned day off with Nozomi goodbye as she worked straight through the next week. Finished sometime late Sunday afternoon, Eli found that by that point she was too exhausted to follow through on any kind of makeup date. Nozomi, for her part, didn’t really mind because she was quite tired herself. And deep down she knew that for the time being Eli’s job had to come first. So, the two women spent the remainder of the weekend at home by themselves, bed coming early for the couple.

By some miracle, Eli’s schedule complications turned out to be a non-problem when it came to planning the baby shower. Not only did the schedules of quite a few of the former μ's members clash with the original date Nico and Eli had talked about, but Kotori decided that a week was too short of a notice for her to plan the party in the way she thought it should be arranged. In the end, the group settled on a date that was two weeks later that intended, but would allow for the all of them to be present to celebrate the incoming bundle of joy. It worked out perfectly when Nozomi ended up having to work in the morning and afternoon the day of, so she would remain unaware of the party plans until she arrived on site. Eli had taken the day off, but hadn’t told Nozomi in order to maintain her own cover that day.

Parties are always festive events. People show up, there is generally music, decorations and food. But no one ever thinks about the pre-planning that occurred before the day of. Umi, for one, had never dwelled upon it, but once her girlfriend had become entangled in her own web of color palettes, streamers, table clothes and food samples, Umi would never look at the process of throwing a party the same way again. It was during the planning period for Nozomi’s baby shower that Umi found herself silently cursing Nico and Eli under her breath for ever suggesting that Kotori plan the party. It wasn’t because Kotori was incapable of coordinating such an event, on the contrary, Kotori was quite good at it, but the simple fact that she wanted everything to be perfect had devolved into one of the most stressed induced few weeks the blue haired girl had ever known to that date. She thought many times that she would crack as Kotori asked, for what felt like the thousandth time, which type of napkin they should have for the party. It was a living nightmare for the logical woman and she couldn’t imagine a worse way to spend her free time from the dojo. However, she loved her girlfriend, and did her best not to go fully insane at her well intentioned hands.

It was only on the day of the party that Umi was fully roped into Kotori’s madness as the blue haired woman found herself standing atop a ladder in the main room of her girlfriend’s fashion boutique, Birb, which was being converted for the day in order to host the baby shower. Umi was adjusting her end of a very large lavender and blue banner while Honoka held the other end in place; she was standing atop a ladder of her own on the far end of the room. 

“Just a little higher on your end, Umi-chan,” Kotori directed from nearby and Umi adjusted to the best of her ability.

“Like this?” Umi asked, stretching her arms slightly to reach as Kotori confirmed where she wanted the banner. 

“These decorations look amazing, Kotori-chan!” Honoka exclaimed enthusiastically, almost falling off her ladder in the process. She clutched the banner string a little too tightly, causing Kotori to gasp as the banner threatened to tear at the edges.

“Honoka-chan!” Kotori scolded lightly. “Be careful. That banner is one of a kind! You can’t go tearing it. Now, hold still while Umi-chan ties off her end!”

Honoka nodded silently and complied. Umi tied off her end of the banner, securing it in place, allowing Honoka to follow suit with her end. Once finished, the banner hung easily on its own.

“What’s next, Kotori-chan?” Honoka asked. 

Kotori checked the clipboard she was holding before pointing over towards the refreshment table where Hanayo was setting up plates, flowers and decorations.

“As soon as Hanayo is done with the table we can start arranging the food. And when Eli gets back, we’ll have the cake.” Kotori commented.

“That’s great news, I’m starving!” Honoka slid down her ladder, landing firmly back on the ground. 

“Honoka! You can’t eat until Nozomi gets here! Don’t be greedy,” scolded Umi as she climbed down her ladder more gracefully than her friend.

“Mou, I know Umi-chan, but I was just saying I was hungry. I’ll behave.” Honoka rubbed the back of her neck.

“All done!” Hanayo smiled and clapped her hands once. She stood back from the table as Kotori came over to inspect it. 

Kotori scrutinized the setup carefully as she compared it to the very detailed diagram on her clipboard. Looking between the two several times, she then stepped forward and moved two of the flower vases over an inch towards the ends of the table. Hanayo watched, patiently, not realizing she was holding her breath as Kotori judged her work.

“There, perfect.” Kotori smiled.

“Oh, good,” Hanayo let out the breath she had been holding, in relief. It had been a stressful morning for all of them. 

“Yosh!” Honoka cheered, getting into the party spirit. “Come’on, Hanayo, let’s go get the food from the back.”

Hanayo nodded and went to follow Honoka into the large break room. Umi shook her head and turned her direction towards her girlfriend. 

“When’s Eli getting here with the cake?” Umi asked. 

But before Kotori could answer the bell over the front door chimed and in walked Eli holding one end of a very large cake box. Maki was holding the other end, helping her through the door.

“Right on time!” Kotori beamed, moving to help hold the door for the two women. Umi raised her eyebrow at the very enormous cake box. It had to be three feet long. 

“How much cake did you order, Kotori?” Umi asked. 

“The perfect amount!” was Kotori’s only answer, causing Umi to pinch her nose in frustration. She slowly counted to ten. 

“It is quite a lot,” Eli commented as she and Maki set down the cake box on a table that was separate from the actual food table. “It has to weigh twenty pounds, easily.”

“I don’t know why we need this much,” mumbled Maki, just low enough for the sound to avoid reaching Kotori’s ears. 

Kotori moved to the box, opening it and inspecting the cake she had ordered. Inside the box, the cake was split into three tiers, the largest one being fourteen inches in diameter. Each tier was covered in smooth fondant that had been airbrushed in lavender and light blue edible paint. Along the edges of each tier were delicate fondant lilies and slim green icing vines connecting them all. It was a beautiful floral cake. 

“Ooooh, the baker really out did themselves this time. They followed my directions exactly!” Kotori commented.

“They were probably afraid of what would happen if they didn’t….” Umi mumbled. 

Kotori turned her head to Umi. 

“What did you say, Umi-chan?” She smiled sweetly at her girlfriend. Umi froze.

“Um...nothing. Just saying how good the design was,” the blue haired woman played off her comment. But it seemed Kotori hadn’t actually heard what she had said the first time.

“Thanks! I work hard on it. Now. We just need to set it up. I think that Hanayo can do that since she’s got the perfect eye for these sorts of things and has the delicacy that Honoka lacks. Even if they are both great with food preparations.” Kotori checked off a box on the paper on her clipboard.

“It is very pretty,” Eli smiled softly at the cake. She looked at the additional decorations in the box: baby animals made out of sugar fondant. “Nozomi will love it. Especially the little animals. It’s a nice touch.”

“Everything will be perfect for Nozomi-chan, I’ve made sure of that.” Kotori smiled, looking back down at her clipboard. “I think that pretty much covers everything I need from you Eli-chan. But Maki-chan, where’s Nico-chan?” She asked turning to face the redhaired woman.

Maki was about to answer the question when the  bell above the front door chimed once more and in walked Nico. Everyone in the room froze immediately as they saw what was in Nico’s arms. Hanayo had just returned from the break room carrying a tray full of rice balls, but when she saw the seriousness of the scene in front of her, she turned on her heel and marched directly back out of the room. She didn’t want to be in there for that. And as Honoka passed her with a curious expression, Hanayo decided there was no time to explain and just dragged the orange-haired girl back into the break room with her to avoid the drama.

Umi cursed under her breath and Maki sighed as she watched her girlfriend enter the room.

“Hey ladies, look what Nico-Nii thought we needed. I think these will really liven up...the....party?” Nico’s smile of self satisfaction faded as she saw the frightening expression on Kotori’s face.

Stepping forward, Kotori took a better look at the rather large armful of unapproved decorations in Nico’s arms. Not only had Nico breached protocol by trying to interject her own decorations on Kotori’s plans, but the colors were also loud and clashing with Kotori’s theme. The streamers looked like something out of a party city nightmare discount bin and they were abominations to the very spirit of the baby shower as far as Kotori was concerned. It was then that a threatening smile slowly formed on Kotori’s face as she attempted to confront the situation with as much tact as she possessed. However, that wasn’t much as the mirth twinkled in her eyes.

Umi knew that look and wondered if this would be the day that Kotori finally killed someone. As sweet and as caring as she was, Kotori had a control streak a mile wide when it came to some of her creative projects - and this party was no exception.

“I told her not to buy them…” Maki looked away, awkwardly, twirling the end of her hair in her fingers. She didn’t really want to watch her girlfriend get murdered today.

“Nico-chan, why did you bring extra decorations?” Kotori smiled dangerously at Nico.

“I, um, they were kind of pretty. And I-I..just thought---” Nico tried to explain. 

“Hmm, I don’t think you did think.” There was a long pause. Eli didn’t like where this was going. 

“I assure you, Nico-chan, we’re all set on decorations,” Kotori said, her eyes twinkling darkly. “But  _ thank you _ , anyway. Now, if you could just put those somewhere...else? Perhaps the dumpster?”

Kotori tilted her head to the side as she smiled and somehow that was more frightening than any yelling that Kotori might ever do. Nico looked like she wanted to argue, but Maki stepped in.

“We’ll...we’ll just put them in the car. C’mon, Nico-chan.”

Nico looked at Maki’s expression and realized it was a  _ really  _ bad idea to do anything other than take them out of the boutique and out of Kotori’s sight.

Nico swallowed hard, taking the hint. She nodded and turned around and walked back out to Maki’s car to put the decorations out of Kotori’s sight. Maki followed with the car keys. Eli waved apologetically to the two women as they left.

With the offending decorational intruders now gone from the scene, Kotori resumed her task of consulting her decorations chart.

“Kotori, Nico’s decorations would have been fine,” Eli spoke up, trying to ease the situation. 

“No, Eli-chan, I have everything planned out to a ‘t’, they would have messed up the visual of the room,” Kotori commented as she gestured around her.

The boutique had been decorated for the party in the aforementioned lavender and light blue. There were a few light pops of other colors here and there, but the room was quite warm and welcoming. There were polkadot laden streamers hanging down in curtains around the room and where Kotori normally displayed her seasonal fashions for Birb were now a group of mannequins dressed in festive party outfits. The mannequins outfits were designed after the old school idol costumes that Nozomi and Eli had worn back in their high school days. It added quite a nostalgic flare to the scene and seemed to tie everything together nicely. All of it was well planned, Eli couldn’t deny that, but she worried that it might be a little over the top, a concern she shared with Umi, it seemed, if the blue haired woman’s expression was any indication.

Umi was frowning, slightly, but not where Kotori could see her.

“Well, I do think it is lovely, so if you think it is perfect then I’ll trust your judgment,” Eli conceded.

“Thank you! I had to make sure that everything was perfect for the first born of μ's,” Kotori continued to smile as she set down her clipboard on the reception table.

“First born...of μ's?” Eli quirked her head, confused.

“Yes! This child will be the first of the new generation for our friends! It must be celebrated properly! We must usher in the new era with perfection and pretty colors!” Kotori had a slightly crazed look in her eye, and Eli didn’t know whether to be flattered or not. That was a lot of pressure to be putting on an unborn child.

“Kotori,” Umi said, stepping forward to her girlfriend and placed a hand on the ashen haired woman’s shoulder. “I think that’s going a little bit overboard, don’t you think? Let’s not add extra stress to Eli and Nozomi. Nozomi especially, ok?”

Umi gave Kotori a look that told her that perhaps it was time to calm down a bit. Kotori relented after several tense moments. She looked at them both.

“Fine, ok, I’m sorry, I just wanted things to be as perfect as they can be. It’s important to me to show the baby how much I love it!” Kotori grinned bashfully. “Buuuut, you have to admit that Nico-chan’s decorations were quite ugly.” 

Eli chuckled and even Umi smiled.

“That’s fair, I suppose, let’s just calm down. You’ve done a great job and things are almost ready,” Umi hugged Kotori around the waist. This gesture had the added benefit of keeping her girlfriend from running all over the place at the frantic pace she had been moving all day.

“Thank you, Umi-chan,” Kotori kissed Umi, who blushed but indulged the display of affection. 

Eli cleared her throat, reminding the two that she was still in the room. Umi quietly apologized and released the designer from the hug.

“When do Nozomi and Rin get done with their photoshoot?” Umi asked Eli, who checked her wristwatch.

“Nozomi estimated that they would done around five which is about an hour away, but Rin said she would text me when she knew more of their timetable. Rin’s gonna head back immediately afterwards with the photo gear and I’m going to pick up Nozomi as a surprise. She doesn’t know that I’m off work so I wanted to drive her myself,” Eli said.

“Does she suspect anything about the party?” Kotori asked.

“Not that I know of. She’s been distracted lately, so I don’t think it is likely she noticed anything and not letting Rin in on the secret until last night paid off so she could tell her. She just had to make it through today,” Eli smirked. “I hope she was able to keep the secret.”

“Same,” Umi said. “I think she’ll be fine, though. Gotta have a little faith in our resident cat girl.”

Kotori nodded in agreement.

“Oh, that reminds me. Kotori, do you need me for anything else?” Eli asked the designer. 

“Nope, I think you’re all good to go. Why?” Kotori responded.

“Well, I need to make a stop by the office before I pick up Nozomi. I left something there.” 

“We’ll be fine here. Just bring the guests of Honor with you,” Umi commented and Kotori agreed. 

“ _ Guests _ ? Is there another person other than Nozomi coming?” Eli was totally thrown by this comment.

“Nozomi and the baby, dummy,” Umi laughed at Eli’s confused expression as it softened.

“Oh, right. Yeah..” Eli said, breathlessly. It was really hitting her that the time for the baby to arrive was drawing nearer and nearer. Her expression was a goofy one as she thought about it.

“We’re gonna be parents.” Eli smiled softly at last as she said it. 

“Ok, okay,” Umi chuckled and shoved Eli towards the door. “Yes, you are, but you still have a party to get too. So, get going.”

“I’m gone, I’m gone.” Eli waved her hands and headed out towards her car. “See you guys in a bit.”

Umi shook her head as she watched the blonde woman get into her car and then pull into the street from the boutique’s parking lot. As she did she felt a delicate pair of arms wrap around her waist from the side. Umi reflexively placed an arm around Kotori, pulling her in close. 

“Eli seems happy, huh?” Kotori hummed in contentment.

“She does,” Umi agreed.

There was a shared silence between the two women as they stood there, looking out at the clear blue sky. Children were something they both wanted. They both knew that, even without needing to say the words out loud. It was just a matter of time until they were comfortable enough in their professional lives to expand their family unit.

“C’mon, let’s go help Hanayo and Honoka set up the food. When Nico gets back you can apologize for being a decorations Nazi.” Umi squeezed Kotori once more.

“Do I have to?” Kotori pouted.

Umi just laughed as she lead them towards the breakroom.

\---

Eli hadn’t been the only one whose schedule had picked up over the past few weeks. Nozomi had also been very busy before she was then called in as a favor to cover another photoshoot with an agency she’d been known to work with. The photoshoot ended up doubling her work load for the week, but with Rin assisting her, she had managed to get by. The extra work definitely meant extra income for the purple haired woman, so Nozomi was eager to agree when she got the telephone call.

The work was welcome as Nozomi knew that she would need to drastically cut back on all of her clients that weren’t studio portrait sessions over the course of the next month. This would be an attempt to lessen the stress on her body in the final trimester. But for now, though, she’d enjoy the extra income as they would need it the excess funds once the baby arrived. Supporting themselves during the first few months were Eli and Nozomi’s number one priority outside of taking care of their new child. And the extra work had also been helping Nozomi keep her mind off of other things - like the constant phone calls from her very persistent parents. Why did they have to choose now to be invested in her life?

But, Nozomi didn’t have time to care about that at the moment. No, at the moment she was in the middle of a photoshoot. With Rin assisting her she had been able to make it through most of the four hour session, but slowly the pain in her feet and muscles were starting to pick up from moving from position to position, getting the angles and into the right lighting she needed for each shot as she completed the magazine shoot for the upcoming issue of Seiyuu Grand Prix. So, even if Nozomi enjoyed the session immensely, she could not deny that her body was not feeling the same way as her mind towards the end of the day. The back to back photo shoots had taken their toll on her and today was no exception. It seemed that the only perk of the current position that she found herself in was that she was laying flat on the floor as she attempted to achieve the angle she wanted. 

The rapid clicking of Nozomi’s camera shutter fell in between the directions she gave for the model to move her head or body slightly. And finally, after hours of photos, costume changes and lighting changes, Nozomi found herself satisfied with her art. She clicked two more pictures for good measure and then handed off her camera to Rin who was waiting nearby.

“Alright Everyone,” Nozomi called, as she laid her head back on the concrete floor. “That’s a wrap!” 

The crew members clapped appreciatively and the models gave quiet, humble bows. Rin even cheered and Nozomi found herself smiling. The hustle and bustle of the crew as it began to break things down could be heard all around her.

Rin’s head appeared suddenly in Nozomi’s line of sight as she faced the ceiling.

“Nozomi-senpai? You alright?” Rin looked with concern at her tired boss.

Nozomi nodded. “I’m fine, Rin-chan, thank you. Just a long day. Wanna help an old pregnant lady up?” She grinned at her assistant.

“Of course!” Rin offered her hands out to Nozomi and steadily pulled the woman to her feet. “Wouldn’t want you to get stuck in odd positions, would we?”

Once upright, Nozomi dusted herself off a bit before stretching her back slightly. “We would not,” Nozomi chuckled. 

“Anything else we need to do before we head home?” Rin asked, handing the camera back to Nozomi, who shook her head.

“Nope, we’re all done for today,” Nozomi commented and went to place her camera into its protective case. She sighed once more as she felt her phone vibrate for the thousandth time.

Rin looked at her in question.

“It’s nothing. You did great today, Rin-chan, thank you for the help,” Nozomi smiled at her as she zipped up the camera bag. “Now, if you can get started on packing up, I will be right back.” 

Rin nodded in confirmation and Nozomi waddled off towards the bathroom for the umpteenth time that day. Rin chuckled and went about packing things away until she remembered that she need to text her friends who were working on the baby shower party. Rin thought it was an odd name for a party, seeing as how there were no showers involved nor was there water outside of the kind you drank. It was just silly. But she was at least looking forward to celebrating Eli and Nozomi’s baby with all of their friends. And Hanayo was making rice balls. That was always something to celebrate.

Checking to make sure that her boss was out of sight, Rin pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Eli and the rest of the party planning group that they were finished finally. Rin had done her best to keep the secret of the party all day and she was quite proud of herself. Rin put her phone away and happily went about rounding up and carefully packing the equipment as she waited for a confirmation text. 

When Rin had packed up the last of the light stands, she heard her phone begin to ring in her bag across the room. Suki desu ga Suki desu ka played loudly from her phone. Rin was glad that she this was the first phone call she had gotten since she’d gotten to work because she had apparently forgotten to put it on vibrate. Rin ran across the room, light stand case in hand and answered it with a loud “Mushi Mushi!”

“Hi Rin.”

“Eli-senpai! What’s up, nya~?” Rin propped the phone between her shoulder and ear as she carried the light stand over to the card.

“I just wanted to let you know that I was going to pick up Nozomi myself, so she doesn’t need to ride back with you,” Eli commented as she drove through traffic. She’d left her office later than she had wanted due to getting caught in a conversation with her boss. She looked over her right shoulder as she changed lanes. 

“Just let Nozomi know that I’ll be picking her up, okay?”

“Okie dokie, Eli-senpai, do you want me to wait for you to arrive before I leave?” Rin asked pushing the cart out to the parking lot to load it up in her car. 

“No, that’s fine. I think Hanayo wanted you back to help calm her nerves. Kotori’s been a little rough on everyone’s nerves this morning so she could use you there as a buffer. Honoka didn’t seem to do any good for the situation.” 

“Oh no!” Rin chuckled. “Poor Kayo-chin. Yea, I best get there as quick as possible. Thanks for the heads up. I’ll just go tell Nozomi when she gets out of the bathroom.”

Eli laughs. “How many times is that?”

“Number two thousand forty seven,” Rin deadpanned.

“Wait, seriously?” Eli blinked.

“No, but I know it is in the teens. Nozomi-Senpai is perfectly fine. Tired but fine. Quick worrying Papa-chika!”

“Papa-chika?” 

“Gotta go, Nozomi-senpai’s coming back. Talk to you later, nya~”

Rin hung up the phone before Eli could say anything else, and headed back inside.

Nozomi was there double checking her camera bag and personal satchel after returning from the bathroom.

“Everything all good to go, Rin-chan?” Nozomi asked, seeing her assistant.

“Yup, all packed away in my car,” Rin grinned, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. 

“Alright, then we can go ahead and get out of here. I don’t know about you but I’m beat. Ready for a bath, dinner and a nap.” Nozomi smiled at Rin but the other girl merely returned it sheepishly. “What’s up, Rin-chan?”

“Um, Nozomi-senpai,” Rin hesitated slightly. “I hate to have to do this to you, but I need to go ahead and leave before you. But don’t worry because Eli-Senpai is on her way to pick you up, so she should be here in a minute.” 

“Is something wrong with Hanayo?” Nozomi asked concerned. She was unsure why Rin needed to take off so suddenly.

“Um...no? Well, she just needs me home right away and your place is across town after all. So it was just easier this way.” Rin lied. “But Eli-senpai is just a few minutes out.”

“O-okay. Well, then I guess I’ll see you later.” Nozomi put on a smile, but felt startled by the sudden change of plans.

Rin smiled. “Ok. Later, Nozomi-senpai! We’ll get together to process the photos in the next few days. Good job today!” 

Rin waved at Nozomi before grabbing her own bag and dashing out of the room. 

Nozomi shook her head. 

“Well that was odd,” Nozomi murmured as she continued to check and zip up her bags. 

When she was done, she pulled out her phone to text Eli. On the notification screen there was a text from Eli telling her that she’d be there soon, but there were five calls from her mother and father respectively. There were voicemail messages too but Nozomi had no desire to listen to the voicemails even for the three seconds it would take to delete them. She sighed and closed her phone. She could feel a headache coming on, on top of all her other bodily aches. But she did her best to fight it back as she stood there.

Her parents really were making it difficult for her to ignore them. She could change her phone number, that might work, but then Eli would probably be curious as to why she needed to do that and that conversation might just be more trouble than it would be worth. At least when she got home her phone could go back on silent. 

And with that thought, Nozomi shouldered her bags and headed outside to wait for Eli to get there.

\---

Rin walked in through Birb’s back door, stumbling across a rather nervous looking Hanayo in the process.

“Kayo-chin!” 

“Rin-chan!” Hanayo smiled and power walked over to Rin before slunking against her in a hug. 

Rin patted Hanayo’s head lightly before kissing her on the cheek. “Long day?” Rin asked gently, as she smiled.

Hanayo nodded meekly. 

“It’ll be alright, I’m here now. What do you need help with?” Rin looked down at Hanayo fondly as they continued the comforting hug.

“I think we’re done. I just set out the last of the food that Honoka and I made. Umi is doing her best to keep Kotori from making any last minute changes. Maki and Nico are being unhelpful but what else is new…”

Rin laughed. 

“Well, at least we’re almost ready. Nozomi and Eli are on their way back, nyaow. So, we should head into the other room to let the others know,” Rin commented, finally breaking the hug and making Hanayo stand on her own. Even then, Rin kept ahold of Hanayo’s hand.

“Ok, but I warn you, Kotori’s a little crazy when it comes to this party. It feels a bit like decorator’s bootcamp. I’m afraid my nerves just aren’t cut out for it,” Hanayo admitted and Rin squeezed her hand.

“It’ll all be okay, Kayo-chin. I’ll make the announcement and you can take a break. You deserve it.” Rin said, kissing Hanayo on the cheek. “C’mon, let’s go.” 

Hanayo smiled and followed Rin into the other room, keeping slightly behind her, just in case.

\---

As the others made the last minute preparations in anticipation of their arrival, Eli and Nozomi drove their car onto the highway as Eli asked about Nozomi’s photoshoot. 

“It went well, I got plenty of useful pictures and I think the magazine will be happy with it. And the models were nice, not to mention pretty.” Nozomi smirked. 

“Sometimes I wonder if that’s the only reason you got into photography,” Eli shook her head. Nozomi always did like to look at pretty girls. “Was that your last shoot for the week?”

“Yeah, thankfully. I’m beat. I’m off until next Wednesday,” Nozomi leaned her head against the headrest and turned to watch Eli as she drove. She smiled as she reached out to touch Eli’s cheek with her hand. “Though, I do have to admit this was a nice surprise. I didn’t expect to see you until much later tonight. You’ve been so busy lately. We both have,” She admitted. 

Eli leaned her face into Nozomi’s hand, but she kept her eyes on the road. “I took the afternoon off to spend with you. Like you said, we’ve been pretty busy so I thought it would be a nice change.”

“Mmmm. It will be nice. I want nothing more than to go home, take a bath, and cuddle on the couch,” Nozomi admitted, letting her hand fall down to the center console of the car between them.

Eli chuckled, albeit a bit nervously, as she changed lanes to take an interchange. Nozomi’s gaze fell on the road signs for a moment. “Elichi, you missed our exit,” she commented.

“Hmm, I guess I did. But it’s okay.” Eli admitted maneuvering safely around another car as she passed them. 

“Are you gonna take a different route? Doesn’t seem like you to skip out on routine,” Nozomi commented. 

“Nope, not a different route home, just a different route. I thought we could eat out tonight,” Eli suggested jovial to her girlfriend. 

“Eli,” Nozomi sighed. “As much as I appreciate the gesture and normally I would love nothing more than to go to dinner with you, I really don’t feel like going out tonight. I’m tired and it has been a very long week.”

Eli gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. She didn’t want to ruin the surprise for Nozomi but at the same time she hated the fact that she couldn’t just give her what she wanted and take her home to rest. 

“But I made reservations at this great little place I found. My boss recommended it. It’s suppose to be great food,” Eli lied. 

“Eli, please. I  _ really _ don’t feel like being around people I don’t know tonight, can’t we just go home?” Nozomi pouted and sounded rather grumpy. This wasn’t what she had planned for the beginning of her weekend. And she didn’t understand why Eli was pushing the issue. And of course, Nozomi’s phone choose that moment to ring, startling them both as Junai Lensu played loudly from inside Nozomi’s satchel.

Pulling out her phone, Nozomi gritted her teeth upon seeing her father’s number. Yup, she had already had enough of this week and wanted to just hole up in the apartment with Eli. Silencing the phone, Nozomi let it go to voicemail before putting it on vibrate. Eli watched the exchange between Nozomi and the phone.

“Wrong number?” Eli asked, looking back onto the road. She took the third exit that headed into downtown Tokyo. 

“Something like that. My parents,” Nozomi admitted as she frowned deeply and shut her eyes. 

“Have they been calling much?” Eli asked, glancing over at Nozomi with a concerned expression.

“Sort of,” Nozomi answered but didn’t expound upon. Eli knew better than to pry any deeper by the expression in Nozomi’s voice. Perhaps she’d ask her more about it after the party. No sense ruining the mood further.

“I have a headache now.” Nozomi frowned as she leaned her head back further against the car seat. She was trying to keep the stress induced tears from pricking the back of her her lids with their dampness, so she began taking deep breathes. 

Eli could sense the tension in her lover and that made the blonde feel even more terrible about dragging Nozomi along with her fake plans. Eli didn’t want to force Nozomi to do what she didn’t want to do, especially if she now wasn’t feeling well, but everyone had worked so hard on the party and Eli was confident that Nozomi would love the surprise in the end. So, she carefully pushed down the guilt and reached over to intertwine her fingers with her lovers. She brought Nozomi’s hand up to her lips and planted a sweet kiss there. 

“Hey, it’ll be okay. Just relax for the rest of the drive. I’ve got some tylenol in my bag you can take, too. We’ll just go have dinner and head back home. It won’t be that bad. I promise you’ll enjoy it,” Eli smiled at the woman next to her.

“Fine,” sighed Nozomi, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards in a bittersweet fashion as Eli acted so tenderly towards her. 

“Just wake me when we get there.”


	6. Chapter 6

 

Eli woke Nozomi up right as their car was pulling into the neighborhood where Birb was located. The purple haired woman had been asleep for the entire ten minute drive.

“Hey,” Eli said quietly, running her hand over Nozomi’s hair. “We’re almost there.”

Nozomi stirred slightly, her eyes fluttering open, taking in Eli as the blonde woman continued to drive.

Nozomi hadn’t been asleep very long and she could still feel her head ache dully. She rubbed her forehead with her hand before stretching her neck with the aid of her other hand. The tension seemed to be settling in her neck and shoulders, which was never a great feeling.

“That’s good news. I am getting hungry,” Nozomi said, placing a hand on her stomach.

“Good to hear. Especially since the nausea seems to have died down somewhat,” Eli smiled as she pulled into the parking lot of Kotori’s boutique and turned off the car engine.

“Yeah, definitely, I feel like I could eat a whole plate of---” Nozomi stopped midsentence when she realized where they had arrived. “Eli, this is definitely not a restaurant.”

“No, it isn’t. But Kotori finished with the new skirt I had ordered and told me to drop by before she left for the day.” Eli unbuckled her seatbelt.

“Hmm. You failed to mention that.” Nozomi frowned. “Ok, I’ll wait in the car. Don’t take too long.”

“Nope, you should come in and say hi, it’s been awhile since you’ve seen her,” Eli smiled at her girlfriend. “It’s only polite.”

“Eli,” Nozomi didn’t look very happy. “My feet hurt, my head hurts, my back seems to have started hurting during the car ride, I’m tired and you’re dragging me to dinner - which I am graciously tolerating. So, as much as I love Kotori I would rather not go in and get caught in a conversation that will delay me arriving back at our apartment before midnight.”

Eli, however, didn’t seem to be listening. She got out of her side of the car and walked around to Nozomi’s side, opening the door. She leaned down to look in at Nozomi with a tender, but placating smile.

“Two minutes, in and out. We say hi to Kotori, grab my skirt, answer a few how are you questions and then we’ll leave and head to dinner.”

Nozomi glared at her girlfriend for a long moment. Eli swallowed nervously but held her ground. Finally, Nozomi sighed and gave in.

“Fine, two minutes. But there better be ice cream in it for me after dinner.”

“Of course, my goddess. I’ll buy you all the ice cream you want. I promise. Shall we go inside now?” Eli chuckled and offered her hand to Nozomi, who took it after she unbuckled herself from the car seat.

Nozomi nodded and the two made their way to the front door.

\---

“Quick, hide, they’re coming!” Rin exclaimed over her shoulder. She had been crouched near the front door of Birb playing lookout as the others had scrambled to finish the very last details for the party. Everyone scattered to their hiding spots, everyone except poor Hanayo.

Hanayo ran around frantically, trying to find the perfect place to hide. There was a spot behind the counter that would work nicely so she rushed over there, only to find that it had already been filled with the bodies of Honoka, Umi and Kotori. She meeped before realizing that there was no room, so she ran over the display racks that had been pushed up against the wall. She moved some of the clothing, intending to climb in but was met with Nico’s face as she hid next to Maki. The two girls were already fighting for space behind the rack.

“Ow! Maki, stop pushing!”

“I would if you’d move over and stop hogging all the space. Stop stepping on my feet!” Maki spit back at her as the two girls struggled in their tiny hiding space.

Hanayo’s face went pale. Where was she going to hide?

Near the door, she could see Eli and Nozomi approaching. Eli’s hand was on the door handle. They were seconds away and Hanayo was going to ruin the surprise if she didn’t hide somewhere. Her predictable panic was setting in as she now stood near one of the couches inside the boutique.

“Dareka tasukete! Hanayo cried, but Rin was on the scene as she tackled Hanayo over the back of the couch. “Ooof!”

Both women landing behind it and out of sight at the exact moment that the front door opened.

*DING* went the door chime right as Hanayo landed. Rin covered her girlfriend’s mouth so her slight groans of pain from the impact with the floor wouldn’t be heard by Nozomi and Eli as they came in.

The room itself was fairly dark. The evening light doing nothing to help the women see into the shop proper. Nozomi thought it odd as she couldn’t see properly, especially since Kotori said she was going to be there. Perhaps she had shut down earlier than normal and turned out the front lights.

“Are you sure she’s here, Elichi?” Nozomi asked, trying to see deeper into the shop, but with no luck.

“She said she would be,” Eli commented, trying to hold back her laughter. She had caught a glimpse of Rin and Hanayo flying out of sight. “Maybe she’s in the back. Try calling out for her.” Eli closed the door behind the two of them. Eli thought she could hear the faint sounds of giggling from behind the desk.

Nozomi shrugged.

“Kotori-chan! Are you here?” Nozomi cupped her hands to her mouth and called towards the direction of the break room. But as soon as the words left her mouth the lights in the room came on full blast and the room filled with noise.

“Surprise!” screamed the women as they popped up from behind the desk and the clothing rack. Rin jumped up as well, but Hanayo was a bit slower as she staggered to her feet.

“Su-surprise!” She said meekly, attempting to catch the breath that had been knocked out of her.

Nozomi took a step back, stunned by the sudden noise and appearance of all of her friends. “W-what’s going on? Nozomi asked, right as Eli’s arms wrapped around her waist from behind.

“Don’t struggle,” the blonde laughed. “It’s a party.”

“A party?” Nozomi looked around the room at the lavender and light blue decorations, the table filled with various foods and a very tall cake. Next to it was a small table filled with presents wrapped in brightly colored paper.

“Yes, a party!” Eli kissed Nozomi’s cheek. “They threw it for you and the baby.” Eli nodded towards where their friends were standing, beaming at her.

“Oh…” Nozomi murmured, looking embarrassed. Her eyes felt rather watery at the overwhelming sensation that was building in her chest.

“Nya! We surprised Nozomi-senpai!” Rin punched the air with her fist and Honoka joined in on the celebration. Nico rolled her eyes but kept smiling as she walked towards Nozomi.

“Come in, already!” Nico said, grabbing Nozomi’s arm and pulling her towards a seat near the table. “We’ve been waiting for you to get here in order to start. You were almost late to your own party.”

Nozomi sat as she was ordered but she was still pretty stunned by everything. She looked from her friends, to the cake, to the presents and back to her friends. Finally her gaze landed on her smirking girlfriend.

“You knew about this, Eli?” Nozomi asked. That would explain all the random divergence from routine that the blonde had done today not to mention the past week.

Eli nodded.

“Yup, we planned it all for you. And for once we managed to actually catch you off guard. Kotori and Nico helped plot with me and Kotori planned all the decorations. Honoka and Hanayo made the food. Umi helped set up. Maki financed us. And Rin helped to keep us informed about your schedule today, so that they knew when to expect you.” She smiled.

“I deviated a little bit because I wanted to pick you up and bring you here, but other than that things went very smoothly. What do you think? Did we do good?” Eli asked hopefully. Nozomi wasn’t reacting much other than looking very surprised.

Nozomi looked at her girlfriend, still blinking. There was such an overflowing feeling of happiness coming from within her chest that she didn’t know where to start with words. She opened her mouth to speak and nothing came out.

“Nozomi?” Maki was starting to look concerned.

It was then that Nozomi let herself go, the tears pouring down her cheeks as she started to cry.

“Nozomi!” Eli exclaimed, moving to her girlfriend’s side in an attempt to calm her. She thought that perhaps the surprise had been too much.

Kotori looked at Umi. Her lip was trembling as well because didn’t know what to do with this new development.

“W-was it really all too much?” Kotori asked Umi quietly. But before Umi could answer, Nozomi finally managed to speak while Eli was hugging her from the side.

“It’s perfect, Kotori-chan,” Nozomi smiled, but her voice was a bit watery from the emotion. “You are all such wonderful friends, I just didn’t expect it.” Nozomi wiped a tear from her eye but that didn’t seem to stop them from continuing to fall.

Eli kissed Nozomi on the top of the head. “You scared us. We thought you hated it.”

Nozomi shook her head. “No, I love it, so much. You have no idea how much I needed this. You all make me feel so loved. Thank you.”

The rest of the group breathed a sigh of relief as Nozomi confirmed that she didn’t hate the party.

“W-well, now that that moment of drama is over,” Nico spoke up, breaking the ice. “Shall we party?”

Nozomi nodded and Honoka grinned widely.

“Yay! Time for food, time for food,” Honoka chanted as she wandered over to the refreshment table. Umi was quicker though, and grabbed the hood on her friend’s jacket.

“Honoka, let Nozomi go first…” Umi commented, darkly.

“Oh,yeah. You’re right, Umi-chan,” Honoka laughed awkwardly.

Umi nodded and released Honoka from her grasp.

“It’s okay, Umi-chan, Honoka and the rest of you can go ahead. I need a moment anyhow,” Nozomi smiled that the two women. Her tears had stopped and Eli was looking far less worried now as she sat next to her girlfriend.

“Yay! Thank you, Nozomi-chan.” Honoka said before hurtling towards the refreshment table. Hanayo and Rin were close behind them.

“Don’t run!” Nico yelled at them.

Maki rolled her eyes but she did seem to be enjoying herself.

Kotori was just happy that she hadn’t actually gone over the top with everything and she sat down next to Nozomi, and hugged her gently. Nozomi returned it awkwardly due to her belly but it was a warm hug nonetheless.

“Thank you, Kotori-chan. Everything is beautiful. Hopefully it wasn’t too much work.”

“No, it wasn’t much work at all,” Kotori downplayed it. Behind her Umi made ‘WTF?’ face. It certainly hadn’t been an easy task.

Kotori seemed to have sensed what Umi was doing and turned to her with a smile. “No problem at all, right Umi-chan?”

Umi nodded. She really shouldn’t argue with the decorations Nazi.

Nozomi just smiled at them both as she settled into the couch she was sitting on.

“Do you want me to fix you a plate?” Eli asked as she nudged Nozomi’s shoulder. “You said you were pretty hungry.”

“Yes, please!” Nozomi beamed at her and Eli got up to go get Nozomi a plate of her favorite foods from the table.

\---

Before long, everyone had happily eaten, appreciating the fine food fare that Hanayo and Honoka had created for the event. There had been, of course, rice balls and manjuu but among the rest of it had been fun finger sandwiches, fruit, and some grilled meats. Everyone was chatting fondly with one another over the shared meal. Though, they were waiting to cut the cake until later.

“Hey, Nozomi-chan,” Hanayo spoke up after finishing her fourth rice ball.

“Yes, Hanayo-chan?” Nozomi set her plate to the side.

“Well, Rin-chan and I were talking the other day and we wondered, well, if you had picked a Godmother for the baby?” Hanayo smiled sheepishly.

The chatter in the room came to a slow halt as each woman realized what Hanayo had just asked. The mousey woman eeped at the sudden attention on her. But she knew they had all been anticipating an answer to this question.

“Yea, are you going to pick one or have you picked one?” Rin asked.

Eli traded a look with Nozomi and the two communicated silently for a moment. It was one of those perks couples in a long term relationship had.

“Rin,” Maki interjected. “Maybe that’s not a question to ask. If they have chosen one, they’ll tell us if they want to.”

“Mou, me and Kayo-chin were just curious. Didn’t think it would be a big deal.” Rin admitted.

“But Honoka wants to know too!” Honoka spoke up, sitting up on her knees on the floor near Umi and Kotori.

“You guys, don’t pressure them into anyth--” Maki said.

“It’s okay, Maki-chan,” Eli smiled over at her and then the rest of them. “Nozomi and I have talked about it. We were waiting on the right time to make the announcement. We haven’t exactly spoken with the person, yet though.”

Nozomi placed her hand over Eli’s and nodded. “It’s true. But perhaps this is a good time as any for asking.” She smiled at Eli and then looked at the rest of the group.

“Girls,” Nozomi began. “We’ve thought long and hard about this.”

“But we want you to know that we love you all very dearly,” Papachika added.

“Right,” Nozomi nodded. “But when we thought about it, there was only one obvious choice for us when it came to down to whom we would make the baby’s Godmother.”

“We know that, in the event that should anything happen to both of us, they would love that child and help them in anyway they could and accept and nurture them as one of their own family.” Eli explained.

“Mou,” Rin looked teary. “Don’t talk like that, Eli-chan. Nothing is ever going to happen to you two.”

Hanayo patted Rin on the arm. “There, there, Rin-chan. It’s just a ‘what-if’ scenario. No one is saying it will happen.”

“Exactly, Hanayo-chan,” Nozomi smiled reassuringly at the two young women. “And if it did happen, we know all of you would help as well. That’s what makes our μ's family great. We all love each other dearly. But, like Elichi said, this was our gut feeling.” Nozomi chuckled at her own pun as she laid her free hand across her belly and rubbed it gently. She felt a sharp flutter of a feeling beneath the surface. She thought perhaps the baby was agreeing. She shifted a bit from discomfort as she rubbed the spot a little more. Eli was smiling at her lovely girlfriend.

Nico rolled her eyes. “Enough with the puns, who did you choose?”

“I guess you want to know who it is too, huh Nico-chan?” Honoka asked, getting in the shorter girl’s face all of a sudden.

“Ugh, Honks, not so close,” Nico used her hand to shove Honoka away from herself.

“Sorry, sorry!” Honoka waved off sheepishly.

“So,” Umi interrupted, clearing her throat. and redirected the conversation back to the mothers to be. “Who did you two choose?”

Nozomi smiled and leaned her head on Eli’s shoulder.

“We chose Nicocchi,” Nozomi announced and the room broke out into cheers. They were all happy for their friend.

From behind Nico, Maki smiled. She wrapped her arms around Nico, embracing her. She knew just how much Nico had wanted this, but the shorter woman had been to proud to admit it out loud. Nico had always thought little of herself and she couldn’t help but think that any of the other girls, especially Umi and Kotori would have made a better Godmother than she would.

“Congratulations, Nico-chan.” Maki whispered into Nico’s ear and impulsively kissed her on the cheek. This action caused Rin, Honoka, and Kotori to gasp and cheer. Maki rarely showed public displays of affection, so this was a moment to celebrate on top of everything else. But Maki’s cheeks tinted crimson at the attention.

For her part, Nico appeared to be speechless.

“W-what?” Nico blinked then pointed at her chest in disbelief. “ME?!”

Eli and Nozomi nodded together.

“You’re our bestest friend, Nicocchi. And despite your standoffish attitude at times, you really have shown us how much you care about us.” Nozomi beamed at Nico.

“And we know that you would take care of our child as if it was your own,” finished Eli.

“So, what do you say, Nico? Will you do us the honor of becoming our child’s Godmother?”

Nico stood there, blinking. It was uncertain what storm was raging behind her eyes but it was. Eli couldn’t tell if she was going to yell or what.

“Nicocchi?” tried Nozomi again, hopefully.

Nico broke her own silence by sniffling loudly. She was doing her best not to cry but she failed miserably as she stepped out of Maki’s hug and threw herself forward and wrapped her arms around Nozomi and Eli simultaneously. She enveloped them in a crushing hug. The tiny woman was really strong, no one ever expected it to look at her.

“Yes, of course I will, you idiots.” Nico commented as she cried into Nozomi and Eli’s shoulders. The two women shed a few tears of their own as they leaned their heads on top of Nico’s between the two of them. They burst out into joyful laughter between the three of them and everyone in the room felt the joy from the moment.

“This calls for cake!” Honoka cried.

“Honoka…” Umi glared at her friend.

“No, no, I think Honoka-chan’s right. Let’s cut the cake,” Nozomi commented, wiping her eyes a bit as Nico released her. “Happiness like this deserves dessert. Kotori, will you cut the cake for us?”

“Certainly!” Kotori grinned as she stood up and moved over to serve the cake.

\---

“SOOOO FULLLLLLLL,” Rin said as she laid sprawled on the boutique floor, her normally athletic stomach was distended slightly from all of the food she had eaten.

Not too far away Honoka was in a similar position. Both girls seemed like a food coma was imminent in their current situations.

Hanayo gently rubbed Rin’s forehead. The mousey woman had eaten almost as much as Rin but she didn’t seem to be having the same problems. The others often wondered where such a small person put all that food, especially when it seemed like she didn’t feel the pain of food sweats from over eating. She must have been blessed by the rice gods or something.

For now, though, it would have to remain a mystery unsolved until another day. As everyone seemed to start to be lulled into a nap, Kotori stood up and clapped her hands.

“Okay, everyone!” she chirped. “It’s time for the last bit. Presents for Nozomi and the baby! Maki, will you help me bring them over?”

“Uh, sure,” Maki conceded as she followed Kotori to the present table.

“Alright,” Kotori said, bringing over a package that was covered in Neko Atsume cat wrapping paper. She read the label but there was no need to, really. “This one is from Rin-chan!”

She handed the medium sized box over to Eli who held it while Nozomi unwrapped it. She had a little trouble due to the amount of tape that Rin had used. It wasn’t the most professional wrapping job she had ever seen but because it was Rin, Nozomi knew that it had been done with love. Her assistant’s enthusiasm never ceased to amaze her.

When Nozomi finally broke into the box (after Kotori loaned her a pair of scissors) she began pulling out several things from within it: A hooded bath towel with raccoon ears on it so it could ‘match mama Nozomi!’, a cat shaped rattle, a stuffed cat animal the color of Rin’s hair, and a set of colorful wooden, animal themed alphabet blocks.

“Thank you, Rin. They’re really cute,” Nozomi smiled softly.

She and Eli hadn’t bought any toys yet so these would be a great place to start. She handed the items over for Eli to inspect. The blonde gently shook the rattle.

“Harasho!” Eli said quietly, fascinated with the cat-shaped rattle. “The baby will love this.”

Nozomi giggled. “You have to share, you know?” She teased Eli.

Eli blushed and set the rattle and the box to the side.

Umi chuckled at her senpai’s antics. Maki stepped forward with the box covered in rice ball wrapping paper.

“From Kayo-chin!” chimed Rin.

“We could tell,” laughed Eli.

Luckily for Nozomi this present was much easier to open.

“Wow, you really went overboard, Hanayo-chan,” Nozomi smiled as she pulled out a small library of baby books ranging from traditional fairy tales to simple alphabet books. “They’re wonderful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I thought that this would be a good gift. The baby obviously won’t be able to read for a long time, but you can read to them. I have the best memories of my mom reading to me when I was little so I thought that sharing that gift would be the best thing,” Hanayo admitted confidently.

“Kayo-chin is so precious!” Rin nuzzled herself against her girlfriend’s cheek.

Eli and Nozomi had always loved books too so it was a very thoughtful gift, but as Eli responded with her thanks, Nozomi felt a small pang in her chest as Hanayo talked about fond memories of her mother. It just made some of her own memories all the more bitter. She rubbed her stomach lightly as she took a break, gathering her cheeriness back to the surface for her friends.

Eli placed the books aside as another small present was placed in her lap. It was marked from Maki. It was a large gift card to a baby necessities store. Eli whistled when she turned it over to see the amount on there.

“Maki, you didn’t need to do this much…” Eli commented, but it was clear she was grateful.

“I thought it would be best, I’m not very good at picking out presents, so this seemed the most practical. Besides,” Maki twirled a strand of her hair on her finger as she looked away slightly. “Plus, I hear babies can be really expensive.”

Nozomi got up and hugged Maki, who squeaked unexpectedly. “Thank you, Maki-chan. It was very thoughtful.”

Maki returned the hug and patted her purple haired friend lightly on the back. “You’re welcome. I hope you two, er three, find it useful.”

When Nozomi had returned to her seat, Honoka’s present was next - a large box of dinosaur themed items.

“There are just so many….” Eli sounded amazed as the box seemed to bottomless with the amount of dinosaur books, blocks, figures, rattles, and stuffed animals.

Nozomi laughed, enjoying the blonde’s confusion. “Looks like we’ll need to clean out the bedroom closet to make room for these.”

The room laughed.

“Honoka, where did you find the money for all of those?” Umi asked, suspiciously.

“Eheh heh heh, I got them on sale.” Honoka rubbed the back of her neck.

Umi raised an eyebrow at her, she clearly didn’t believe her.

“Fine, Tsubasa-chan helped me out but I promised to pay her back. We were out shopping and I saw them and they were just so beautiful and perfect. I mean what kid doesn’t like dinosaurs?” Honoka exclaimed as Kotori’s presents replaced her own.

Kotori had wrapped several small and stylish boxes with a variety of paper with bird designs on them. Each box contained a very tiny, very cute set of handmade clothing, ranging from party outfits, to one of a kind onesies (fox and raccoon, of course), and every day wear for the baby. Nozomi and Eli ooo'd and awed over each piece.

“These are fabulous, Kotori. Our baby will be the most stylish in all of Tokyo thanks to you.” Eli said, fascinated by a particularly cute baby bonnet with ducks on it. They were all hand embroidered onto the fabric.

Kotori grinned. “Anything for you guys. I look forward to getting to make more stuff for the baby once you know the gender. If I like what I come up with I may add it to the store, if you don’t mind.”

“We wouldn’t mind at all. We love that our child is an inspiration for you. Maybe one day your own child will be so one day too,” Nozomi commented, turning her gaze on a suddenly blushing Umi.

Kotori smiled wistfully. “Yeah, one day.”

Umi tried to hide her face, but stepped forward with a very large box and set it in front of Nozomi and Eli.

“From me. I thought you might need one.” Umi commented before stepping back.

Eli helped Nozomi rip off the wrapping paper to reveal a very nice baby car seat. Eli and Nozomi seemed a bit taken aback but this was something they knew that they would use and still needed.

“Thank you,” breathed Eli. “But this must have cost…”

Umi waved her off. “Cost doesn’t matter. It is the top of the line and rated the safest in the country. I made sure to do my research. Five star rating for safety and comfort for the baby. Reviews say it is easy to use and not too heavy for Nozomi to lift if she has to do so alone.”

“Wow, you thought of everything, Umi-chan,” beamed Nozomi.

“That’s my Umi-chan.” chuckled Kotori as she hugged the blue haired woman.

“Safety is very important for any child of μ's,” Umi stated as she moved the box to the side to make way for Nico’s present to be handed over.

Nico’s present was normal sized, not too big, but it had the unfortunate detail of having been wrapped, by Nico, in pink glittery paper that seemed to shed over everyone and everything.

“I feel like a stripper just exploded in here…” Nozomi commented with a laugh as she dusted the excess glitter off of her and onto the floor and couch. Kotori looked appalled by all the glitter. She knew she would never be able to get it all out of her boutique.

“How do you know that strippers wear glitter?” Eli asked with a blank look at her girlfriend.

“Oh, look at Nico’s present!” Nozomi changed the subject as she opened it.

Eli blinked and then took a look at the now open present. Both women paused briefly. But Nico stood just beyond them looking very proud of herself.

“Um..Nicocchi, I’m not sure what it is. Care to enlighten us?” Nozomi asked, gently, as she pulled out a what appeared to be a plastic windup arm with several things hanging off of them.

“It’s a mobile for above the crib, of course. I designed it myself. Only the best for my Godchild, right?” Nico grinned, puffing out her chest proudly.

Maki rolled her eyes, she knew that this had been coming. But try as she might she hadn’t been able to dissuade her girlfriend from buying it.

“Oh,” said Nozomi as she looked at it a little closer. The figures that hung down from the mobile were pretty cute but they seemed awfully familiar. Eli leaned in to get a closer look too.

“Wait,” Rin said, moving in closer. “Are those…” She looked at Nico, seeing a striking resemblance. “Tiny yous?”

Everyone in the group’s eyebrows shot up and Nico nodded confidently.

“Yep! It’s the perfect gift. What better way to fall asleep than looking at the great Nico-Nii and smiling!” Nico seemed very proud of herself. She didn’t understand why everyone in the group wasn’t praising her yet.

“What are you waiting for, wind it up?” Nico urged Nozomi and Eli, so her two friends turned the winding key to indulge her.

When the mobile started to spin, the tinkling of the music box played Nico Puri Joshi Dou.

Nozomi burst out laughing so hard, she was now crying.

“EEEEEEEHHHH?!!” Nico jumped back. “Why are you laughing?!!”

“N-no reason, Nicocchi,” Nozomi wiped a tear away. So many tears today. At least they were all good, right?

Eli and the rest of the girls joined the laughter as Nico pouted. Maki flicked Nico on the nose.

“You had to know this would be the response, silly.” Maki told her girlfriend.

“Mou...geez, I did think it was a good idea.” Nico continued to pout.

Eli got up and wrapped an arm around her friend. “It’s okay, Nico. Just do one thing for me”

“What’s that?” Nico frowned.

“Never change,” laughed Eli.

As the other girls continued to chatter over the absurdity of the gift, Nozomi leaned back on the couch, breathing in and out, coming down from the pain of laughing. Her sides kind of hurt, but so did her back, the muscle in it suddenly spasming.

 _That felt weird,_ Nozomi thought as she shifted in her seat. She felt the same sharp sensation from earlier in her abdomen. Perhaps she had indigestion. Her expression changed slightly at the discomfort and Eli looked at her with concern while the other continued their conversations.

“You okay?” she asked Nozomi quietly.

Nozomi nodded a bit. “I think so. Probably ate a little too much. I’m gonna go use the bathroom. I have to pee anyway.”

Eli helped Nozomi to her feet and sent her toward waddling towards the bathroom. She watched her for a moment. Something felt off. She was walking a little slowly and one hand was on her back as she closed the bathroom door behind her. She almost went after her but was interrupted by Umi tapping her on the shoulder.

“Eli,” Umi said, and Eli turned to face her. “Your phone is ringing.”

“Oh, thanks, Umi,” Eli smiled at her and went to pick up her ringing phone that was play ‘Shocking Party.’ At the sound of it, everyone turned to face her.

“Is that A-Rise?” Nico quirked an eyebrow as though she had betrayed them all.

“What? It’s catchy, I like it.” Eli answered with a shrug as she opened the call and put the phone to her ear. It was an unknown number. “Mushi Mushi?”

“Ayase-san?” the female’s voice on the other end asked.

Eli’s expression fell for a second as she recognized the voice. “Yes, this is she.”

“Oh, good. Finally someone picks up.” The female said, rather roughly. “Konnichiwa, Ayase-san.”

“Konnichiwa, Tojo-san. What can I help you with?” Eli asked, rather curtly.

“I’m needing to speak with my daughter. Is she there with you?”

“She’s out of the room at the moment. Perhaps I can take a message.” Eli turned away from the other women in the room. She didn’t particularly feel like putting Nozomi through a phone call with her mother at the moment. They had been having such a good time. “How did you get my number, anyway?”

“Nozomi gave it to us a long time ago. I don’t remember why but it was before well, she decided to live in sin.” Nozomi’s mom said rather rudely.

Eli could feel her blood start to boil.

“As for a message,” Nozomi’s mom continued. “That won’t be necessary, I can wait for her to return. I’ve been trying to contact her for quite some time. Her father and I are quite concerned about her since she isn’t answering our calls....” Nozomi’s mom didn’t seem very concerned, though. She just sounded like she wanted to make her daughter’s day go down the drain. Nozomi’s mom always was oddly controlling...even if she did do it from a distance.

“Tojo-san,” Eli began. “Did you ever think that maybe Nozomi didn’t want to talk to you? That, that was why she didn’t answer?”

“That’s absurd, of course she would want to talk to her own mother. And I don’t appreciate you talking so informally about my daughter. Using her first na----”

But whatever it was that Nozomi’s mom said next was interrupted by a loud sound coming from the hallway. No, the bathroom. A moan of pain. Eli’s attention snapped in that direction and watched as Maki headed for the hallway - she had been nearest, thankfully. As the other girls moved in that direction, everything became a blur. Eli also didn’t realize when she had hung up on Nozomi’s mom, but she knew that she didn’t need to talk to her at the moment. Eli just knew that she was moving quickly towards the hallway and towards her girlfriend. Eli knew that it had been Nozomi that had cried out.

Once there, she stepped into the now open bathroom where Maki was crouched down next to Nozomi appeared to be in a lot of pain as she leaned against the wall. She was breathing heavily. This wasn’t right. She wasn’t that far along. It couldn’t be time for _that._ Eli’s eyes searched the scene, looking for a way to help. But Maki looked up to her, with concern.

“Eli, we need to get her to a hospital, like now.”

Those were the last words that Eli understood before she was running for her car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don't hate me for that ending. No it isn't a miscarriage but it is a medical complication due to everything. Bear with me and I'll see you all for the next update~~~  
> *flees*


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't like leaving y'all hanging for too long. Here's the next part. Cheers!

**_:: Hospital Waiting room 9:35 P.M. ::_ **

“Ma’am, please, you  _ need _ to calm down. Right now, there is nothing I can tell you except that the doctors are working as hard as they can to figure out what’s wrong with your  _ friend _ ,” the nurse said, rather rudely. She was used to more than her fair share of impatient hospital visitors, so this was nothing new, but her own attitude towards Eli wasn’t helping the situation one bit.

“She’s my  _ girlfriend _ ,” Eli corrected through gritted teeth. “ _ GIRL-FRIEND _ . As in lover? And I don’t care about the bullshit line you feed everyone who asks you a question, I just need to know what’s happening in there. I need to know if she is okay!” 

The nurse didn’t seem very impressed. In fact she looked even more disgusted by the fact that Eli had referred to the patient as her girlfriend.

“Please, ma’am, there is no need to flaunt your personal situation here,” huffed the nurse. “But again, you’ll know when there is something to know. Now, please have a seat and wait for news about your  _ friend _ like everyone else,” the nurse said with a stiff finality as she turned on her heel and headed back to her station. 

“She’s my  _ GIRLFRIEND!”  _ Eli yelled after the nurse as she balled her fists at her side. “...stupid cunt…” Eli added under her breath. 

Nearby Umi was taken aback and exchanged a look with Nico as the two women sat waiting with Eli for news on Nozomi’s condition. They’d been there for an hour with no real news and Eli was beginning to lose it. Nico knew that by the sheer fact that she had just called the nurse a cunt; Eli never used that word. But her friends couldn’t blame her for acting like that. This was Nozomi that had been brought to the ER. She was important to everyone in the group but none so much as Eli. To Eli, the purple haired woman was her beginning and end; she was her entire life. 

Eli had never been good at waiting. But the fact that she had stay in the sterile waiting room for news of Nozomi’s condition was too much. She was seriously considering taking someone hostage if it meant being able to find out exactly what was wrong with the woman she loved. Eli felt powerless and she hated it. But above anything else she was scared and worried. 

Eli could do nothing but pace around the waiting room, emitting an aura of intimidation as a million scenarios ran through her mind. The other people that were in the waiting room eyed her suspiciously, a few taking quiet bets on when this foreign looking woman would crack. 

Finally, when she couldn’t take it any longer, she allowed herself to fall into a chair near her friends, her face pressed into her hands, letting out a muffled scream of frustration. It wasn’t long before her shoulders began to shake out, a clear sign the blonde had started crying. 

Nico began absentmindedly rubbing Eli’s back softly, trying to comfort her. 

“Eli, they’ll be fine. They’ll be okay,” Nico reassured her friend quietly. And though, she knew just as little as Eli did, Nico felt like she needed to keep the positive attitude for her friend. She was worried and so was Umi. Nico and Maki had driven Eli’s car to the hospital while Eli tended to Nozomi in the back seat. Umi and Kotori had joined them while the others tried to keep their minds off things by staying behind and cleaning up Kotori’s shop from the party. Right now, Kotori was the only woman that was presently missing from the waiting room, but she had volunteered to go fetch the women some coffee in order to walk off some of her own anxiety about the situation. 

The only reassuring thought that any of them had regarding the situation was that Maki had gone back with Nozomi and had been talking with the doctors. 

“Eli,” Umi said cautiously as she placed a hand on her friend’s shoulders. “Perhaps you should take a break. Go outside and get some air. It looks like it might be a little while longer. A walk might do you g--”

Eli’s head snapped out of her hands to look at Umi while Nico stopped her small hand motions on her friend’s back. Tears may have been staining the blonde’s pale cheeks but the fiery look in her eyes pierced through Umi’s amber ones, causing Umi to swallow hard. 

“It was, uh, just a suggestion,” Umi coughed. “You’ve just been so tense.”

“Of course I’m tense!” Eli spat viciously as she gestured wildly towards the ER doors. 

“The love of my life, who is carrying our  _ child _ , is through those doors and I can’t do anything but sit here and guess what’s going on. HOW THE FUCK DO YOU THINK I FEEL?!!” Eli shouted, thoroughly biting off Umi’s head in the process. 

Umi immediately recoiled and Nico thumped Eli on the back of the head.

“Eli STOP!” Nico said sharply, causing the blonde to stop spitting her vitriol and refocus on her. She glared at Nico. 

“Listen,” Nico pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration but she was able to remain calm. “We are all worried. We know you are, we are trying to help but biting Umi’s head off won’t do any good. She was trying to help, ya know?”

Eli frowned, seeming to realize her mistake. Her eyes began to water once more as she turned to Umi to apologize. 

Umi held up her hands. “Eli, it’s fine, just try not to do it again. I’m sure we’ll know something soon. Maki’s back there with her, after all. Have a little faith in her, if anything. Maki will tell us when she knows something, right Nico?” 

Umi looked across Eli to Nico, who nodded. Eli’s gaze followed the blue haired woman’s own.

“Yup, Maki’s the best there is,” Nico puffed her chest slightly. “Even if she isn’t Nozomi’s normal doctor, she won’t let anything happen to Nozomi. If there is something for us to know, then she will tell us.”

Eli nodded, feeling slightly better. Maki wouldn’t do them wrong. She never would. 

“Maki says that sometimes the wait isn’t a bad thing, it means they are being thorough. In this case I believe she says ‘no news is good news’, so let’s take that into consideration, okay?” Nico said, taking Eli’s hand and squeezing it. 

“Ok, I’ll try,” Eli sniffled as she slumped in her chair looking at least a little more calmer even if she was still worried.

“Maybe you’ll feel better when Kotori brings caffeine,” Umi suggested. 

“You rang?” 

Kotori had just walked back into the waiting room, holding a drink carrier with both hands and her bag over her arm. She was bundled up in a fashionable jacket to stave off the cold weather. Umi stood up to help her with the items, allowing her to unburden herself.

“Perfect timing, love,” Umi said as she kissed Kotori on the cheek and then shared a look with her.  _ Eli’s going crazy,  _ it said.  _ Please save us. _

Kotori appeared to understand as she smiled softly at Umi before turning to Eli.

“I got you a dirty hot chocolate Eli, I thought it would be tasty while also calming your nerves,” Kotori smiled as she handed Eli one of the drinks from the carrier. 

Eli took it gratefully, cupping her hands around the warmth. Waiting rooms were always the worst from the decor to the wall paper to the people, and the temperature inside wasn’t even comfortable in this one. Eli couldn’t win at all.

“Thanks, Kotori,” Eli took a small sip, feeling the warmth calm her slightly. It was nice and creamy, but even the chocolate in the drink couldn’t ward off all of her worry.

“Anytime,” Kotori smiled at the woman who was currently undergoing her own version of hell. She wondered how a happy day had ended up this way..

“Large Caramel Vanilla Latte with two extra shots for Nico,” Kotori passed the shorter woman a very large cup. 

“You’re the best, Kotori..” Nico sighed as she took a sip of the uber sweet and powerful drink.

“I honestly don’t know how you can drink that much caffeine, Nico,” Umi commented as Kotori handed her a large hot black tea.

“You get used to it living with Maki,” Nico shrugged. “She basically mainlines her coffee each day. I just picked it up from her. Besides, I was at work early today because I needed to take off for the party, this is helping to keep me upright.” She took another drink of her coffee.

“Fair enough,” Umi said as she took a sip of her tea. She smiled at the pleasant taste; a small light in a rough night. Kotori always knew how to order it the way she liked it. “Though, being a doctor, she should know that that can’t be good for her health.”

Nico shrugged. “You try breaking her of drinking coffee and see how well she takes it.”

Kotori chuckled a bit. She had settled into the seat next to Umi and was leaning into her girlfriend as she drank from her own cup. Kotori always got milk tea while Umi took hers plain. Umi wrapped her arm around Kotori, pulled her a bit closer and placing her chin atop Kotori’s and closing her eyes for a half second. From beneath her, she heard Kotori ask a quiet question.

“I take it we haven’t had any news, then?” Kotori’s voice carried, even though it was so soft. 

Umi nodded a bit, Eli didn’t answer. She was staring into her cup now quietly. But at least her tears has ceased.

“Not yet. But soon, we hope,” Umi commented and kissed Kotori on top of the head. She didn’t know what she’d do if Kotori were the one in there. She didn’t want to ever find out, so she couldn’t blame Eli for her behavior. 

Kotori hummed quietly and the four women settled in for the full length of the wait.

\---

**_:_ _: Hospital Waiting room 10:25 P.M. ::_ **

Maki could feel the exhaustion setting into her bones as she walked out from the ER and took off her scrub hat, releasing her long hair over her shoulders. She’d changed into a pair of scrubs at some point out of habit, but other than that things had gone as smoothly as possible. Normally, she would stay out of the ER and stick to her own operating rooms, but she’d made sure to stay in the room since it was Nozomi who had been brought in. She needed to make sure that her friend received the best possible treatment. Today, she wouldn’t have settled for anything less than perfect, even if she did trust the doctors, normally. 

Walking with her hands stuffed in her scrub pockets, Maki turned the corner to see her girlfriend, Nico, curled up on a chair, with her knees tucked to her chest. She was doing that cute thing where she chewed on the corner of her lip when she worried, and even in this stressful situation it made Maki smile. After the stressful night, she was looking forward to going home and snuggling her beloved Nico. 

As she approached, Nico seemed to sense her presence because the haze of worried seemed to lift from her eyes as she looked in Maki’s direction. Nico always did have a sixth sense when it came to where Maki was in a room. The short woman stood up immediately, locking eyes with the red haired woman, searching for a sign of how things had gone. Maki smiled tiredly at Nico with a slight nod, indicating that things were going to be alright, causing Nico to let out a low breath. She gave Maki a relieved smile before turning to her friends and letting out a sharp whistle, causing Kotori and Umi to stir beside her and look up.

The couple had been sitting calmly together as Kotori showed Umi her new sketches on her tablet for her spring line. Eli was on pacing at the other end of the room having chosen that spot after the other waiting room occupants had cleared out about fifteen minutes beforehand. When Nico whistled, her head snapped in that direction and seeing Maki, Eli came jogging over.

“What happened? Is Nozomi okay? Is the baby…” Eli swallowed, looking on the brink of a full blown anxiety attack. Her resolve had been close to crumbling like the berlin wall.

Maki pulled her hands out of her pockets and placed them on Eli’s shoulders, steadying her friend. 

“Yes, they’re both gonna be okay.” Maki smiled softly at Eli, whose tension seemed to melt away from her. Eli flung her arms around Maki, hugging the other woman.

Maki just patted her friend’s back as she returned the hug.

“Thank the heavens.” Eli cried out of joy. “She’s alright...they’re alright…” 

“What was wrong with her?” Umi asked Maki, standing nearby them as Eli clung onto Maki in thanks. “Did she need surgery?

“No surgery, thankfully. We administered some hormone shots in order to stop what was happening. She’s better now and beginning to recover,” Maki commented and everyone looked relieved.

“From what I can tell, Nozomi has been experiencing some pain in her lower back this week. She thought it was due to working and getting into odd angles during some of her photo jobs. Muscle aches do happen in her line of work so I guess she wasn’t really paying attention to them. But she started having some other pains before and during the party that she thought were an odd bit of indigestion. With her nausea up until this point I can see why she might have thought that. Eli, did her doctor say anything at her appointment a few weeks ago? You said she was going in for the nausea.” Maki asked.

Eli frowned. “She didn’t go because of work. She had rescheduled it to this weekend.”

“I see,” Maki nodded. “Well, I doubted that it would have changed much other than the doctor telling her to take it a little more easily. Her blood pressure was pretty high when we brought her in. But as for the pains, she said that they had gotten worse during the party. She excused herself to the bathroom, as we know, and that was when the pain increased, causing her to nearly collapse from the pain when she cried out. She was quite panicked, which didn’t help.”

Umi and Kotori looked quite worried.

“Like I said, she’s better now and the pain has subsided. It turned out that she was having severe contractions. She’s been having smaller ones that she thought were just Braxton-Higgs contractions, which are normal for pregnancy, but they suddenly became more painful it would seem. At least from her description.” Maki commented, finally being released from Eli’s hug. 

Eli was listening intently with a worried face. “Is the baby unharmed?”

“Yeah, the baby is perfectly fine, especially since we managed to stop the contractions. It is still a little too early for her to deliver, even with her being at about 28 weeks. At least safely and without issues. We are certain, however, that the contractions were stress induced. How much as Nozomi been working lately?” Maki asked.

“Quite a bit, she picked up some extra shoots because she wanted to set money back for when the baby arrived,” Eli frowned more. She shouldn’t have let her do that.

“That explains some of the fatigue and physical stress. Anything else that might be causing undue stress for her and baby?” Maki asked, wrapping her arm around NIco and pulling her near. Nico leaned into the young doctor as she listened.

Eli sighed as she nodded. “Her parents are still being their normal douchey selves. They’ve been calling a lot and every day. At least I gathered that much from looking at her phone out here while I was waiting. She hasn’t been answering and they’ve left a bunch of assholish messages. That probably tipped her over the edge. Hell, they even called my phone earlier,” Eli clenched and unclenched her fists at her side, angrily. “They have never once done that in the entire time I’ve known them. They must really be going out of their way to make their daughter unhappy.”

“I wanna punch her mom in the cunt.” Nico commented angrily. 

“Same,” Umi, Kotori and Eli all said in unison.

“Regardless,” Maki commented, trying not to smile at the unified front her friends had displayed. “It has been causing her blood pressure to skyrocket and she’s been worrying about it. You should address that with her and also figure out how to take physical stress off of her. Her doctor has recommended two weeks of bed rest. After that they’ll see where she is and then it will be low activity from there on out. I’ve recommended that they keep her for a few nights for observation, just to be safe.” 

“Got it. I’ll take care of everything and make sure she follows through with it,” Eli said, looking tired. “Can I see her? That nurse over there wouldn’t even tell me anything and I have a hunch I only know what is going on because you were in there. She doesn’t appear to approve of my relationship with Nozomi so she’s been giving me hell the entire time. Says I’m not really family so I don’t get to know details.”

Maki frowned and looked over at the nurse’s station. “Which one is she? I can talk to HR if she’s being a twat waffle.”

“Maki, just because your family owns this hospital, doesn’t mean you should just fire everyone you dislike in it.” Umi commented reasonably, though she disliked the woman as well at this point.

“Why not? If she was rude I don’t want her here,” Maki narrowed her eyes in the nurse’s direction who could suddenly feel herself being watched. She ducked her head in an attempt to look busier. “Maybe I’ll have a personal chat with her about her ‘disapproval’ of gay people. I’d like to see her say something to me about it. I’ll fire her personally.” Maki commented darkly. You didn’t fuck around with the Nishikinos, especially at their place of business.

“I don’t give two shits about that nurse, what I want is to be allowed to see Nozomi and talk to her doctor while she is here,” Eli sighed. 

“I understand. She’s being moved to a normal room. I’ll put you down on the chart and papers for allowing you twenty four hour visitation and privileges. Technically the law doesn’t afford you any rights, especially not in Japan since you aren’t married and can’t actually get married…” grumbled Maki. “But even without that second hand citizen ‘civil union’ piece of paper, I can pull some strings. Gotta use my privilege to help somehow.”

Eli’s eyes lit up. “Maki, you’re a lifesaver. I don’t know what we’d do without you.” 

Maki blushed and turned her face away at the compliment. “It’s fine. It’s for Nozomi and the baby as much as you.”

The group all smiled at the red haired woman. 

“I’ll go get the room number and sign the papers and I’ll be right back. You should only go in one at a time, though. She’s had a rough evening.” Maki commented as she broke free from her girlfriend and walked over to talk to the nurses.

Umi and Kotori looked at Eli after a quick discussion between themselves.

“I think that Kotori and I will come back in the morning once Nozomi’s had a chance to rest a bit. She doesn’t need visitors right now and you two can be alone tonight, you need it,” Umi smiled at Eli. Kotori nodded as well. 

“We’ll bring clothing and breakfast in the morning, okay?” Kotori added. 

“Sounds good. Thank you...for everything. All of you.” Eli smiled gratefully at her three friends.

“That’s what we’re here for, baka,” Nico punched Eli’s arm lightly, which made her laugh. “I’m gonna head back with Maki when she’s done. I’ll come back in the morning too and I’ll let the others know that things are okay.”

Umi and Kotori gave Eli a hug and then headed out. 

Maki headed back with a slip of paper with a room number on it and handed it to Eli.

“She’ll be on the sixth floor. Room nine,” Maki commented. “They’ll be moving her shortly. Now, if you’ll give her my well wishes, I need to head home and sleep for my shift tomorrow. I’m sure she’s seen enough of me tonight anyhow,” she smiled.  “But I’ll be sure to drop in when I can to check in on her.”

“Thanks again, Maki.” Eli gripped the piece of paper, before waving at the two women and heading off to find the right elevators. 

As Eli disappeared from their line of sight, Nico pulled Maki into a tight hug. 

“Eh?” Maki chuckled and returned the hug. “You okay, Nico-chan?” She asked softly.

Nico nodded into Maki’s shoulder. The stress of the night beginning to fade, only to be filled with fatigue. “You did wonderfully, Dr. Maki.”

Maki smiled softly at her girlfriend. “Thank you. I tried my best.”

Nico looked up at her, lovingly. Maki’s eyes searched hers but neither woman needed to speak. Maki gently leaned down and captured Nico’s lips in a short tender kiss. The nurse over at the station that had been giving Eli hell earlier that evening fell out of her chair with a crash - the nosey buzzard deserved it.

Nico burst out laughing before sticking her tongue out at the nurse who was now on the floor. She then proceeded to kiss Maki once more. Both women found themselves laughing. 

“C’mon, Maki-chan,” Nico whispered close to her lover. “Let’s go home.”


	8. Chapter 8

**_:: Nozomi’s Hospital room 11:03 P.M. ::_ **

Shifting gingerly before settling in a position on her left side, Nozomi laid a protective arm over her belly as slow tears of exhaustion trickled down her cheeks. The crinkling sound of the awful hospital gown only added to the discomfort as she lay facing the privacy curtain that had been pulled shut around her bed. And even though she had just woken up from a brief nap of exhaustion, Nozomi chose to close her eyes once more, as she tiredly tried to push from her body the lingering echoes of pain that remained from the contractions. She was sore and uncomfortable and her mind was beginning to fall into a familiar hole of anxiety as loneliness began to set in. The thoughts of ‘what if’ plagued her mind as she was reminded of the events of the last few hours and the worry that accompanied it.

Quickly, she attempted to calm the last of her nerves by breathing deeply, and so she opened her eyes, taking in her surroundings, one by one.

Hospital bed. Check.

Window with ugly curtains.Check.

Ugly beige privacy curtain on a mounted rack. Check.

Unconformable looking grey, fabric covered chair. Check.

Rolling bed table. Check.

Beeping noise of blood pressure and heart monitor. Check.

Weird sensation of wires taped to her skin. Check.

The pull of the tube from the IV drip. Check.

Yep, it was a hospital, alright.

As she took in the room, her anxiety calmed little by little, but the fact that it was the first time that she had been alone since the contractions had started, began to settle into Nozomi’s mind and as the weight of everything caught up with her, so did her emotions.  

When the contractions had started back at Kotori’s boutique, Nozomi had been more scared than she could ever remember being in her life. The pain had started low and ended up increasing in intensity until they became unbearable. She remembered collapsing against the bathroom wall from the pain and then Maki was there. The next thing she remembered was somehow making it to their car, a worried Eli stuck to her side. She had tried to focus on breathing and not thinking about the worst. She tried to focus on Eli’s words as she attempted to soothe her while she lay in the back of their car on the way to the hospital. Nozomi remembered the death grip she had held upon Eli’s hand, latched on it was her own form of physical prayer as she begged whatever force in the universe she could think of to make sure that her child was okay. And from the look in her eyes, Eli had been just as sacred as Nozomi. But despite that fear, Eli pushed it down and provided the rock of support that Nozomi had needed. Her partner had held fast, reassuring Nozomi that everything would be alright and stroking her forehead lovingly in order to try to keep her calm. And even though Nozomi couldn’t remember most of the words that Maki or Eli had exchanged or the ones that Eli tried to soothe her with, she had managed to stay calm until she had arrived at the emergency room.

When Nozomi had been rushed into the ER, however, Eli had been separated from her in hurry. Nozomi had panicked when Eli’s hand had been pulled from hers amidst the hustle and bustle before she had been shuttled away into a smaller examination room. As the nurses and doctors attempted to suss out the problem, Nozomi had started desperately calling Eli’s name, tears streaming down her face. The nurses had attempted to calm her but nothing had worked until Maki had entered the room and stepped up, taking Nozomi’s hand, and began explaining that she needed to stay calm. The doctors needed to work and they couldn’t do that if she was yelling. The tears had been falling freely at that point, but as Maki explained the situation, she assured that Nozomi would see Eli as soon as possible and that she was right outside the doors waiting for her and that everything would be okay. Nozomi had done her best to choke back her tears and clung more steadily to Maki’s hand. She didn’t like the situation but if they doctors could lessen the pain and stop whatever was happening she would cooperate - especially with the promise of seeing Eli soon.

Nozomi knew that if Maki hadn’t been there, she would have lost herself to fear and anxiety as the doctors assessed the situation. Maki talked her through the procedure, calmly, explaining what they were doing and what they thought the problem was. And as Nozomi found her more rational side she was able to focus on staying calm and doing her part to prevent anything from happening to her baby.

After a few hours, the contractions had been completely stopped and the pain had slowly subsided. She had asked for Eli again, but the doctors didn’t comply with her request on the grounds of her not being considered official family. It made Nozomi more upset than she could explain that the country that she loved and lived in could deny the simple human comfort of the person that she loved the most to be at her side at a time like that. And all because Eli was her same-sex partner. That they wouldn’t consider her family just because she wasn’t a man or biologically linked. Nozomi had looked to Maki in desperation, asking for guidance on what to do. Maki was quick on her feet, though, and said reassured her that she would take care of it and go get Eli for her. Relieved and knowing that Maki would do everything in her power to help her, Nozomi had laid her head back and rested for a moment.

But that moment had turned into several and she had dozed off from exhaustion. When she had woken up, she found herself in her newly assigned hospital room but there was still no sign of Eli.

Nozomi didn’t know how long it had been but the change of scenery and the way hospitals worked, she knew it had to have been at least thirty minutes since she had last seen Maki. Nozomi wanted nothing more than to see Eli and for them to go home now that everything was better. But it looked like she still needed to wait. Maki would keep her word and in that Nozomi had faith.

So, as Nozomi lay in her hospital bed, her arm still protectively over her stomach. The sigh of relief that left her lips echoed the weight that was lifting off her heart. She would now let herself rest after the worry and chaos of the evening because she knew her baby would be fine. The contractions hadn’t caused permanent damage or anything and for that she had the gods and the doctors to be thankful. She couldn’t do much more than lay on her left side at that moment, and her muscles were still sore from the stress and contractions but she would deal with the lingering pain since it meant that things would be alright.

She shifted again in order to get more comfortable, hearing only the rustle of the bed sheets against the coarser fabric of the awful hospital gown before settling in with her head on the pillow. She hated hospitals normally but if it meant the safety of her child she would make the sacrifice, she’d even wear the awful hospital gown. At this point only that was the only thing that mattered.

But even in the unwelcome environment of the hospital, exhaustion was catching up with Nozomi as she continued to hopefully wait. It couldn’t hurt to give in just a little, but one thought was on her mind as she slipped in and out of consciousness.

_Eli._

**_:: Nozomi’s Hospital room 11:29 P.M. ::_ **

Eli was out of breath from running around the hospital floors. She had gotten lost like she seemed to always manage doing when she visited hospitals. Eli hated hospitals for the simple fact that they were never designed well and were ultimately confusing to navigate. She was convinced that she would have been lost for days in the hallway labyrinth if she hadn’t stumbled across an unexpectedly helpful nurse, swallowed her pride and hung her head in shame as she gave in and asked for directions. Eli knew that she would have still been roaming around in circles on the fifth floor if the nurse hadn’t pointed out that she had gotten off the elevator onto the wrong wing of the wrong floor. With directions acquired, Eli had been on her way.

But, it had still taken three separate elevators later and an odd zigzag pattern to get where she finally found herself outside of room number nine of the sixth floor where Maki said Nozomi would be moved. Seriously, hospital designs made no sense to Eli. They were impractical and inconvenient at best and that was a stretch of the definition of the word ‘best’, in Eli’s opinion. As she walked the last few feet to the door, Eli mumbled to herself that she would have to have a talk with Maki about it when she got the chance. Surely, her friend had enough money to do something about it especially since she owned the hospital. But for now, Eli decided she would table that discussion until after she had seen Nozomi.

Eli stepped forward to Nozomi’s door and knocked with her right hand. Her left hand held Nozomi’s bag from the car and also a pair of pale pink and white roses. Eli might not have gotten as lost as she had if she hadn’t also made a small detour after she had passed the window near the hospital garden and, by chance, spotted a small rose bush that had been able to survive the cold of midwinter. It held a few lovely flower blooms that caught her eye, so, ever a student of art, flowers and poetry, Eli had been unable to pass up the opportunity to bring her beloved two of those flowers.

Eli waited for a moment and then knocked once more. However, there came no answer from within. She looked to the door tag on the wall and saw ‘Tojo’ upon the placard so she knew she had the correct room, so she delicately worked the door handle and slipped inside the room.

“Non-tan?” Eli asked quietly, looking around. Again, there was no answer. and all Eli could see was the off white curtain that hid the rest of the room.

Stepping inside, Eli closed the door behind her to maintain their privacy. Eli could hear the familiar sound of soft snoring and smiled as she tiptoed around the curtain, taking in the form of the woman she loved.

Nozomi was laying there on her side facing the curtain as her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm; her arm was draped across her abdomen in a somewhat curled up position. Eli’s expression softened considerably as she was finally able to see her girlfriend, even if she was asleep. As she listened to Nozomi’s dainty snores, Eli felt the last clamp of anxiety release her heart as she was finally able to visually confirm that Nozomi was still in one piece. But she did note that the lines of stress had begun to settle on her face from the evening’s ordeal and Nozomi’s hair had also long since become untidy, causing it to stick out in odd ways around her face and the pillow in any way it pleased.

Eli chuckled softly before stepping closer, still clutching the two flowers, and sitting on the edge of Nozomi’s bed. She brought a hand to brush the fringe to the side of Nozomi’s forehead and planted a soft kiss upon her skin.

The kiss caused Nozomi to stir, her eyes fluttering open and her expression changing instantly from sleep filled to a teary smile.

“...Eli…” Nozomi murmured, blinking so as to clear her vision.

“Hey, hey,” Eli said softly, wiping away the tears with her thumb. “I’m here now, Nontan It’s alright, babe. Don’t cry.”

Eli leaned down and kissed Nozomi, cupping her cheek with her free hand, which Nozomi leaned into, nodding.

“Sorry, I’m just so happy to see you.”

“I know, I’m happy I finally get to see you too. The hospital wasn’t exactly accommodating until Maki took care of it. Wouldn’t let me in here until now.” Eli frowned. “But it doesn’t matter because I’m here now.”

Nozomi nodded and tried to quell her crying but found it more difficult than she realized. But Eli was there, patient and attentive, as they waited it out. She grabbed a tissue from Nozomi’s bag and wiped away the tears.

“What are those?” Nozomi asked after quieting, the tears had also finally ceased.

“These?” Eli said, remembering the roses in her hand, and bringing them up to where Nozomi could see them properly. “I saw them in the garden and sort of stole them for you.” Eli’s smile was a sheepish one as she placed them in Nozomi’s hand.

Nozomi brought the flowers to her nose, inhaling their delicate scent.

“How daring of you,” Nozomi chuckled fondly at her girlfriend’s antics. It hurt a little to laugh but she shrugged if off as she shifted to be able to see Eli’s face better. “I didn’t think these grew in winter.”

“Same, but there they were. I even checked to make sure they were real. Their color made me think of you.” Eli commented, swiping another stray hair out of Nozomi’s face and tucking it behind her ear. She pointed to each flower in turn.

“Pink and White Roses,” Eli scooted a bit closer and leaned down to touch her forehead with Nozomi’s. “They mean I love you still…”

“...and I always will.” Nozomi finished, enjoying the closeness after such a long day. Eli nodded and both women smiled softly at one another.

“You have been listening to my rambling, after all.” Eli teased.

“Of course, Elichi, I always listen. I love hearing you talk about things you are passionate about.”

“Fair enough,” Eli chuckled and sat upright once more. She rubbed Nozomi’s arm and watched her as she laid there.“How are you feeling?”

“Sore, tired, relieved.” Nozomi caressed her stomach as she looked away. “And also stupid. I shouldn’t hav--”

“Hey, no blaming yourself. This isn’t your fault, okay?” Eli made Nozomi look at her. “Stress happens to all of us. But I should have helped you shoulder the burden and made you take it a little easier. I would have. I will now. I just wish you’d told me about your parents calling sooner.” Nozomi looked like she was about to deny it but Eli gave her a look.

“You looked through my phone?”

Eli nodded. “While I was in the waiting room. I was looking for a game since my phone was dead but I kept seeing their missed calls.”

“I didn’t want to worry you. You were busy at work and all.”

“That doesn’t matter. I’m never too busy for you. You know that. And I want to help if I can. And you know I will help you and the baby in anyway I can,” Eli said, devotion rising in her words as she spoke. “I couldn’t stand it if anything actually happened to either of you. So, if you’re parents are causing you stress I’ll help you figure it out. You aren’t alone. Lean on me, okay? Screw you parents if they are gonna act like this.”

“I’ve just been trying to ignore them, but them seem persistent for some reason. They’ve called me more in the last few weeks than I think they have in my entire life.” Nozomi said, bitterly.

“Hey, it doesn’t matter. Even if you do love them, They are still jerks. You get to do what is right for you. They had their chance.” Eli comforted. “And if they can’t realize the amazing thing that is in front of them then we don’t need them.”

Nozomi nodded.

“Speaking of ‘family’, I’m glad Maki was there tonight for you since they wouldn’t let me in.” Eli grimaced. “I was pretty mad.”

“I almost punched one of them when they told me you couldn’t come back. But Maki stopped me. Something about hospital insurance rates going up in the event of an accident.”

Eli laughed lightly. “I know what you mean, a nurse almost got incinerated because she was rude to me. She didn’t seem to understand how much you meant to me, regardless of her opinion about my ‘lifestyle’.”

“Some people are so ignorant,” Nozomi commented.

“Yup, and she was the worst. Between Maki and myself I think she’ll get what is coming to her. I certainly gave her a hard time while I was in ‘her waiting room.’”

“She must have been scared by one of your icy glares.”

“Terrified.” Eli smiled tenderly, kissing Nozomi’s hand.

“So fierce,” Nozomi laughed.

They settled into a comfortable silence.

“I was so scared.”

“I know, I was too.” Eli admitted. “We all were. But you’re fine and the baby will be fine. Maki assured me of that,” Eli continued her reassuring ministrations on Nozomi’s arm.

“And you only have to stay a few nights here, then we can go back home.” She added. “I brought your bag out of the car. But we’ll get you some stuff from home tomorrow. Kotori, Umi, and Nico were waiting with me but had to head home once they knew you were alright. Kotori and Umi will bring you a change of comfy clothes when they come back. I am also told there may be non-hospital food for breakfast.” Eli winked.

“Remind me to thank them. I’m not looking forward to hospital food.” Nozomi looked up at the ceiling. She shifted slightly but didn’t move from her position on her side. “I guess I ruined the party. Hopefully Kotori isn’t too mad at me for it.”

“Nah, Kotori is just glad you and the baby are both okay. Nico was gonna let the others know how you were too since they stayed behind to clean up the boutique. I imagine all of the cake is gone now, though since we both know that Honoka is a stress eater. They’ll take the presents back to the apartment too when they get a chance. So, there is nothing to worry about, really. Just focus on getting well and taking care of you.”

“Not much else I can do sitting in a hospital, can I?” Nozomi smirked. “Well, laying down, really. Nurses want me to stay on my left side for the rest of the night just in case. Takes the stress off, they said.”

“Good to know. Maki said that after they release you, you’re being placed on partial bed rest for two weeks.”

“Crap, that means I’ll need to cancel a bunch of shoots next week,” Nozomi worried her lip. “I’ve got a bit saved so that should make up for the income but--”

“Non-tan, don’t worry about money. We’ll get by. Just don’t push yourself anymore, okay? We need to focus on your health and the baby's health and if we have to make some sacrifices we’ll do it. I’ll do it. I’ll even cut out my weekly chocolate purchases.”

“Now, Elichi, don’t do anything extreme…” Nozomi teased lightly. But she was relieved to hear that they could manage without those jobs.

“Ha, ha. It’ll be fine, I tell you. Going without chocolate won’t kill me. And I’m due for a bonus on this next account if all goes well, so we may not have to worry at all. So, don’t think about money for now, okay? I’ve got a backup plan.” Eli beamed at her.

“You always do, don’t you?” Nozomi commented. She was always thinking how lucky she was that Eli was hers. Such a smart Russian cookie.

“Yup. But plans can wait for later. For now, I think you should probably try and get some proper sleep, since it is almost midnight. You have to be tired.” Eli poked Nozomi on the cheek.

“Mmm, I am. Sleep does sound good. Now that you’re here.”

Eli chuckled and stood up from the bed. She turned towards the door and it made Nozomi hesitate.

“You are staying, aren’t you?” Nozomi’s voice sounded vulnerable at the thought that Eli might have to leave already. “They will let you, right?”

Eli stretched a bit before turning back to Nozomi. “Wouldn’t dream of leaving, love. And even if they wouldn’t let me I would still find a way to do so. Even if I had to hide under your bed, I would figure out a way. So, yes, I’m staying. I’m just not looking forward to that awful hospital chair,” She said, glaring at the chair but then sighing. “But I’ll make do.”

Nozomi giggled but she patted the bed behind her. “No sense in sleeping there. I’ve got plenty of room next to me.”

“Nozomi,” Eli furrowed her brow. “I don’t know that I should, I mean am I allowed to or would I disturb you?”

“I don’t really care. I just want you next to me,” Nozomi shrugged, her voice becoming quiet. “Plus it has been a pretty long day and I still feel awful. I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t need you next to me tonight. I wouldn’t feel safe without you. So...please, sleep next to me and just...hold me?” Nozomi asked.

Eli’s gaze softened. It was so rare for Nozomi to ask for what she wanted. Eli didn’t feel like refusing nor did she want to.

“Of course,” Eli commented with a smile. “Whatever you want I’ll give you.”

Nozomi looked relieved and waited as Eli took the flowers from Nozomi and went to place them in a cup of water so they wouldn’t dry out. Then Eli made her way back over to the other side of the bed and slipped off her shoes.

“Scoot just a bit, incoming Elichika.” Eli said with a laugh and Nozomi moved over a little bit. Eli then gently crawled in behind Nozomi and wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. “Is this okay? Are you comfortable, love?” Eli asked, placing a soft kiss in the crook of Nozomi’s neck.

“Perfect,” Nozomi sighed, her eyelids feeling heavy. “You’re where you belong. Just don’t let me go, okay?”

“Never. Now, sleep,” Eli cradled Nozomi and kissed her on the cheek once more for good measure. “Sweet dreams.”

“I love you, Eli.” Nozomi said, yawning. She clung to Eli’s hand, holding it near her stomach. Eli’s heart fluttered with warmth as she felt a small kick beneath their intertwined hands. Nozomi giggled a bit as she moved their hands and found a second kick just centimeters away. The movement made Nozomi’s heart flutter as well. The miracle of what they had created together, still safe and well within her.

“Harasho…” Eli murmured, grinning like an idiot at the sensation. Her eyes were sparkling.

“I think that means she loves you too.” Nozomi turned her head slightly to see Eli’s face.

There was a moment of confusion before what Nozomi had said registered in Eli’s brain and then her face turned into an even bigger ear splitting grin.

“She?” Eli asked.

“She.” Nozomi nodded. Both women looked like they were about to cry from happiness.

“Wait...when did you find out?” Eli asked, perplexed.

“Earlier when the doctors did some ultra sounds. They let it slip.” Nozomi confirmed.

“I’m sorry they ruined the surprise for you. I know you wanted to wait.” Eli frowned slightly but it couldn’t overtake her happiness.

“It’s alright. I think it was meant to be this way. It’s her way of letting us know that she’s still on her way, ya know?” Nozomi beamed, laughing tearily. “I’ll take what the gods give us.”

“A girl…” Eli breathed. “We’re having a girl.”

“We’re having a girl.” Nozomi repeated, the excitement between them rising.

“We’re having a girl!” Eli laughed and kissed Nozomi passionately. They were both laughing now.

Eli broke the kiss and then pulled Nozomi tighter against her.

“Papachika will make sure to take care of both of you, I promise.”

“Papachika?” Nozomi laughed.

“Ridiculous, huh? Blame Rin for it,” Eli laughed softly as she realized she had used Rin’s nickname for her as a new parent.

“Nah, just unexpected. But it’s cute, like you.” Nozomi kissed her again. Eli’s cheeks tinted scarlet, causing Nozomi to nuzzle her a bit. She loved those reactions from Eli and relished them whenever she received them.

“Well, then congratulations, Papa-chika," Nozomi laughed warmly. "I love you.”

“Congratulations, Nozo mama. I love you too.” Eli pressed their foreheads together once more before they laid down and soon found themselves succumbing to a fairly blissful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was a lot of resolution fluff. But now you know the sex of the baby. 
> 
> More chapters to come. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I'll see you around, space cowboy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maki doesn't work without Coffee.

**_:: Nishikino/Yazawa Residence 7:00 A.M. ::_ **

 

The piercing tone of the high end alarm clock filled the bedroom as the digital display ticked over to 7:01 A.M. Letting out a groan, Nico entered consciousness long enough roll over and put her arm across the blanket lump that contained Maki’s sleeping form. She shook the lump in an attempt to wake her.

“Babe.” murmured Nico as the sound of the alarm started to get louder.

An unintelligible noise escaped came from the lump.

“ _ Babe. _ ” Nico tried again, gripping the blanket and tugging it away from her.

Maki stirred momentarily before tugging the blanket further over her head, attempting to drown out the alarm’s incessant cries.

“Maki…” whined Nico, rolling onto her back with tears in her eyes. She was so tired from the night before. They had barely gotten three hours of sleep.

“Maki, for the love of everything scared, turn off your alarm!” 

Every day was like this. Maki was simply not a morning person and Nico, it seemed, would suffer for the remainder of her days because of it. She took her pillow and whacked Maki with it. A muffled grunt escaped the bedclothing before an arm shot out from underneath the blanket, knocking the alarm clock off the nightstand and onto the floor with a solid crash. The noise stopped. But that crashing noise wasn’t a good thing.

Nico sat up to try and see what mess Maki had just made.

“That’s the third one you’ve broken this month,” Nico groaned and rolled onto her side, expecting to be facing the blanket. Instead she found herself looking at Maki’s sleepy face.

“S’okay…” Maki mumbled as she edged towards Nico and captured her underneath the blanket with her. “..I’m rich...buy...new...one..” Maki yawned, snuggling closer.

As annoyed as Nico wanted to be with the situation, she didn’t have the energy at the moment. She, like Maki, was exhausted and the warmth from Maki’s body was doing nothing to help her motivate to face the cold morning. Cuddling was the perfect excuse, really, but as her eyes began to droop once more, she knew she needed to fight the urge. Sleep had already retaken Maki, if her quiet snores were any indication, so it left the task to Nico to get her up and ready for work. Her eyes fluttered back open as she regrettably focused on her task

Using both of her hands, Nico pushed against Maki lightly, trying to break her hold. Maki, naturally, responded by tightening her grasp but Nico wasn’t giving in. One more large shove and she had freed herself. 

“Maki…wake up….” 

Another round of unintelligible sounds later and Nico had decided to take drastic measures. With one quick tug, she had pulled the blanket completely off of Maki. The shock of the cold morning immediately did its job and Maki’s eyes shot open. The rude awakening causing the redhead to flail out in an attempt to grab the blanket back.

“Sooooo cold…” she whined. “Babe, give...back...”

“Nope. You have to be up for work. And your alarm has already woken me up.”

“But...sleepy…”

Nico shook her head and tossed the blanket far out of reach. She got out of bed and walked around to Maki’s side while avoiding stepping on the broken pieces of alarm clock.

“I know,  _ babe _ ,” Nico teased, leaning down to kiss Maki’s nose. Her violet colored eyes looked very pathetic at having been woken up. Maki sure had her spoiled side.

“Can’t we stay in bed? I didn’t get any sleep.”

“I wish, but you have to go to work.”

“I quit.” grumbled Maki, covering her face with the pillow. 

Nico immediately snatched it away. 

“Nope, you can’t quit. You’re the boss's daughter. Plus, how would you pay for your expensive habits?”

Maki had to concede that fact. She gave in and sat up, stretching lightly. 

“Fine, I’m up.”

“Good,” Nico smiled and leaned in to properly kiss Maki. 

It started innocently enough but soon Maki pressed for something deeper. Before Nico could get caught up in it she forced herself to break away. 

“I have to shower.” Nico moved to catch her breathe. Maki’s arms however, had found their way to her waist and were pulling her closer. Her girlfriend sure had sneaky pianist hands. 

“I’ll join you.” Maki kissed her neck.

“No, then you’ll be late for sure,” Nico pried the hands off of her waist. “You’ll shower when I’m done, okay. I’ll make it up to you later.”

“Fine,” Maki stood up blearily. “I will hold you to that raincheck.”

Nico chuckled before sauntering off to their ensuite. 

Maki watched her go but then her mind drifted to something equally as important as her girlfriend: Coffee.

She stumbled towards the kitchen like zombie questing for brains.

\---

“I am constantly surprised that they don't have a bigger house.” Kotori said sarcastically as she looked up at the modern tokyo style house; Five bedroom, four baths. All for her  _ two _ friends, Nico and Maki.

Umi, who hadn’t caught on to the sarcasm, stood beside her as they reached the front door. 

“I’m not sure either, love. But Maki said it was a good starter home so maybe they’ll upgrade once they start thinking more seriously about a family.” She commented as she pressed the doorbell and checked her watch. It was 7:23. 

“Maybe. I mean, if they do have children they’ll need at least three more bedrooms.”

“Possibly.” Umi said, still not paying attention to what was being said. She was more focused on the time and the unanswered door in front of her. Beside her Kotori rolled her eyes. 

“Why aren’t they answering?” Umi asked. “We need to get the key and go get Nozomi and Eli’s things from their apartment.”

She tried the doorbell again, ringing it twice. 

“Umi-chan, when have you ever known either of them to be morning people? They are probably still in bed. And I can’t blame them. I could have used a few more minutes snuggling with you.” Kotori giggled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. Umi blushed lightly but she smiled fondly. But she didn’t have time to reminisce on such bodily comforts.

“Regardless,” Umi cleared her throat. “Maybe I should try knocking loudly.” 

She raised her fist to the door and knocked loudly several times. Behind the door, a crash was heard and something that sounded like a woman’s voice shouted. Umi and Kotori were about to call Nico’s cellphone and investigate further when the front door was ripped up.

In the doorway stood the most-still-asleep Maki. Her hair disheveled and sticking up on one side, Maki was was still in her night clothes. An oversized shirt with Nico’s first and only album cover on it and a pair bunny patterned pants that appeared to be just a little too short for her legs. Kotori guessed that they were Nico’s, but she didn’t say anything. And Umi probably didn’t want to know.

Maki’s gaze narrowed as it fell upon the two women who had come to her house at the ungodly hour that it was. 

“Morning Maki,” Kotori chirped brightly.

Maki grunted, rubbing her face. She leaned on the door before pointing at the two of them questioningly. She grunted once more. There sounded like there was a question mark at the end of that sentence but the two women weren’t sure. Umi raised an eyebrow at Maki’s inability to form real words. 

When she didn’t receive an answer from them, Maki grumbled something else in their general direction. 

But Kotori appeared to catch on. “We need to get the key to Eli and Nozomi’s apartment.”

Maki’s eyebrow raised and her eyes were beginning to focus slightly. But she still didn’t appear to know what Kotori was talking about. 

“Nico has it?” Umi tried, gesturing beyond the redhead and into the house further. 

Maki nodded, understanding suddenly. She grunted again before turning and stumbling back lumbering back towards her kitchen. She left the door wide open which Kotori took as an invitation, dragging Umi in behind her. They slipped off their shoes and closed the door behind them. Umi looked at her watch again. She did need to get to the dojo at some point that morning.

“Is she awake?” Umi asked, her gaze falling on a trail of little black specs that Maki had left in her wake. “What’s that?”

Kotori bent down to inspect them against the white carpet. She sniffed lightly and laughed, following Maki into the kitchen. Maki hadn’t answer Umi’s question because she was too busy cradling coffee machine in her arms as she lifted it back onto the counter. Coffee grounds and a puddle of water were on the floor. 

Maki had begun to bang her hand on the side of the coffee maker demanding that it release its caffeine goodness to her, its owner. But it was no use as the machine remained unworking. Maki pouted and leaned her head against it. She looked on the verge of frustrated tears. 

“Maki, sweety, do you need help?” Kotori asked carefully as Umi poked her head around the corner.

“Kotori, we’re in a hurry…” murmured Umi, but the noise caught Maki’s attention who turned on her like a panther defending its cub. She guarded the coffee maker closely. 

Kotori ignored her girlfriend and approached Maki slowly.

“Did something happen to the coffee maker, Maki-chan?” 

Maki nodded. She looked so sad. “Won’t...coffee….” 

Kotori tried not to laugh as Maki banged on the side of machine again, to no avail. 

“What are you two doing in my house?” Nico said from behind them. She had showered and dressed and was wondering what the hell was going on. “And what happened to my kitchen?”

She examined the scene in front of her.

“Maki was just having some trouble, I think.” Umi pointed out, but she clearly wasn’t that amused. This whole thing was going to make her even later for work. 

“Coffee maker isn’t working, I think, Nico-chan,” Kotori explained, moving aside for Nico to come into the kitchen. 

Maki looked relieved to see Nico appear, she held out the coffee maker to her girlfriend, looking desperate. 

“Nico-chan,” Maki whined. “Make it work…”

“Does this happen often?” Umi asked, unbelieving that a grown woman could act in such a manner. Kotori moved to stand near her as they watched the interaction.

Nico made Maki set the machine back onto the counter and she shooed her out of the way. She cleaned up the water on the floor first so she wouldn’t get her socks dirty. 

“Only when I forget to set the coffeemaker the night before. It has a timer,” Nico explained as she plugged in the machine. “But we got in so late that I forgot. Normally, she would just wake up and coffee would be ready.” 

Nico reloaded the machine with fresh grounds and water before switching it on. “As you can see, she’s useless around real people until she has had her first cup.”

Maki was sitting at the breakfast nook table, now, dozing off as she waited for Nico to solve her coffee problem. Kotori giggled when she saw that Maki had started to drool on herself.

Nico rolled her eyes at the scene before retrieving a coffee cup with a happy tomato from the cabinet above her.

“Anyway,” Nico waited for the coffee to brew. “What do we owe the visit to this morning, ladies?”

“We came to get the key to Eli and Nozomi’s place. Eli said you had one,” Umi stated simply. But her eyes remained on the sleeping Maki. She was afraid that she’d fall over. 

“She’ll be fine,” Nico responded immediately. “You just gotta know how to handle her. Watch this.” 

Nico walked over to Maki, having poured the fresh coffee into the mug. She stood in front of her girlfriend before speaking in a mock excited tone.

“What’s that, you say? There’s a sale on tomatoes?”

Maki’s light snores ended abruptly as she shot awake. “Huh, Where?!” 

She looked around frantically before her eyes landed on a smirking Nico.

“I fell for it again?” Maki groaned, looking defeated. “Nico-chan, don’t do that…”

“I don’t want to hear it, you still have to shower. Here.”

Maki was handed the coffee and she took the warm mug between her slim hands. She inhaled it deeply, her mood shifting almost instantly.

“Coffee.” She whispered before taking a slow sip, careful not to burn her tongue. Slowly, her brain functions appeared to be returning to her before their eyes. 

“It’s like magic.” Kotori laughed as Nico went to fetch the apartment key off of her ring. 

“Here,” She handed it to Umi. “Give it back when you’re done.”

Umi nodded and pocketed it.

“Let’s go Kotori, we still need to get their clothing and then pick up breakfast for them. Nozomi doesn’t need to eat that hospital food.”

“Ok, Umi-chan,” Kotori headed for the door with Umi. She stopped just before she opened it and looked back at Nico. “Do either of you need a ride up there?”

“No, but I will need one back. I have to drive Eli’s car up there so she can have it,” Nico called as she made herself some breakfast. “Maki will need her car since her shift is stretches into tomorrow.”

“Ok, I can pick you up after I drop Umi off later and come back to the hospital,” Kotori beamed. “We’ll see you at the hospital.”

Kotori waved and Umi followed her out. 

Nico turned to Maki to offer her 

“I love you so much,” Maki said, with tears in her eyes as she looked at Nico and savored the coffee. It was if Nico had saved her life by fixing the coffee maker. In truth it had just needed to be plugged in.

“One day you’re going to learn how to properly work the coffee machine.”

“Why would I do that when I have you?” Maki reasoned. 

“You’re a mess,” Nico groaned.

“But I’m your mess,”  Maki pointed to her lips for a kiss. 

As Nico leaned in to obliged, she had to admit that Maki had a very valid point.

\---

**_:: Nozomi’s Hospital Room 9:11 A.M. ::_ **

 

“Things are looking much better this morning,” the nurse said as she removed the blood pressure cuff from Nozomi’s arm. “Any feeling of pain in the lower back or spine area?” 

Nozomi shook her head. “Just some sore muscles around the front, but that’s about it.”

“Lingering effects from the contractions. Should clear up quickly but if it doesn’t or gets sharper, let us know.” 

The nurse made a few notes on her chart before looking up and over to the other person in Nozomi’s bed. “Is she gonna be alright?” The nurse chuckled. 

Eli was still asleep next to Nozomi, curled into her side like child.

“Yeah, she worries too much,” Nozomi smiled softly at her girlfriend. “She’ll be fine. We’ll be fine. Becoming parents is tough and we haven’t even met the baby yet.”

Nozomi rubbed her stomach lightly. 

“This is true. But, I’m sure you’ll be fine parents. I’ve seen much bigger messes than her. She seems responsible at least.” The nurse glanced up over her clipboard, while making a few more notes.

“She is. She’s my rock,” Nozomi shifted to sit up a little more. “I don’t know where I’d be without her.”

“Probably not pregnant,” the nurse reasoned, with a smirk. 

Nozomi chuckled softly, patting her stomach. “Probably not. But she wanted this baby just as much as I did. We’re happy and that’s what is important.”

“That’s good to hear. She’ll take good care of you, then.” The nurse smiled, putting away her pen into her breast pocket. “You’re all set for a few hours. I’ll be back to check on you later. Just no strenuous movement and try to stay in bed as much as you can in the meantime.”

The nurse gave one last look over her shoulder to Eli’s sleeping form. “Oh, and don’t let her kick you out of bed. She looks like a blanket hog.”

Nozomi snorted loudly and the nurse winked as she left the room.

The sound of Nozomi’s laughter finally roused Eli from her slumber. 

“Hey,” Eli said, sleepily as she stirred, moving a bit to wrap her arms around Nozomi. The sound of the hospital machinery seemed to make Eli more aware of where she was. She blinked before sitting up more fully, and kissing Nozomi’s forehead. Moving from sleepy, clingy Eli to protective girlfriend Eli in an instant.

“How did you sleep?”

“Mmm. Well enough,” Nozomi leaned into Eli’s kiss. Her eyes shut for a moment as they sat there. “It’s the hospital, though, so not that well. Nurse just left.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” Eli frowned. 

“Because ya needed sleep too. But it’s alright. Ya just missed her taking my blood pressure and a few vitals.”

Eli continued to frown until it was broken by Nozomi kissing her on the nose. 

“I’m fine, Eli,” she reassured. “Things are stable this morning. No contractions. She’ll be back in a few hours and ya can talk to her then if ya like. Get the ‘full scoop’. I signed the release forms that Maki sent up last night, so you can.” Nozomi leaned back on the bed. 

Truthfully, Nozomi was still very tired. The night before had taken its toll on her. How could it not have? But something inside her felt more at ease now that part of her burden had been taken off of her shoulders. She still needed to talk to her parents, but she didn’t have to do it right away. They’d take a day or two to themselves. She owed it to her little family to let them recover before tackling her mother and father head on. And with Eli supporting her she didn’t have to do it alone. 

Lolling her head to the side, Nozomi watched Eli’s face as they sat there. Eventually, Eli noticed.

“What it is?” Eli smiled softly.

“Nothing,” Nozomi said, shaking her head. “Just thinking how much I love you.”

Eli leaned in to kiss Nozomi. It was soft at first but began picking up intensity quickly. But before it could become too heated they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

Nozomi and Eli broke apart and looked up at the door. Umi was standing there with a deep frown on her face. She never did approve of PDA. Next to her, Kotori next to her who was smiling fondly at them. Umi had a duffle bag in one hand and a paper bag in the other. Kotori was holding a drink carrier in her hands. 

“Are we interrupting something?” Umi asked in a terse voice, which earned her a slap on the arm from Kotori, who went ahead and walked in.

“Nevermind her. Good Morning! We brought coffee!” Kotori set the carrier on the rolling table near the bed. “And tea for the mama to be…” 

Kotori smiled softly, handing Nozomi a hot cup of her favorite green tea.

“Now this is service,” Nozomi chuckled.

Kotori thought she looked tired but it was clear she was on the mend. Eli, on the other hand looked like she had been run through the dryer. Her wrinkled clothing and messy appearance was quite impressive.

“Um...Eli, your hair,” Umi gestured to Eli’s hair which was sticking up in the back now that she had sat up. 

Eli scrambled to redo her pony tail, looking embarrassed. “Thanks,” she murmured as she got up out of the bed. 

“No problem. At least you don’t look as bad as Maki.”

“What do you mean?” 

“No Coffee?” Nozomi asked.

“No Coffee.” Kotori and Umi answered in unision. Nozomi laughed a little too hard at the mental image and hissed in pain as she clutched her lower abdomen.

Eli was immediately hovering near her. Nozomi brushed her off, trying to keep her at arm's length until the small pain went away.

“Muscles are sore, Elichi, that’s all. I just shouldn’t laugh like that for a few days, probably,” She rubbed the sore spot.

“Should I ask the nurse for something to help with it?” Eli worried.

“No, I’ll be fine. It’s fine, Elichi. Calm down.” 

Nozomi reached for and squeezed Eli’s hand and that seemed to do it. Eli was still a little ‘gun shy’ from the night before. 

Kotori sat down on the edge of Nozomi’s bed and proceeded to ask questions about how she was feeling. As they exchanged pleasantries and a little bit of morning gossip about how unfunctional Maki was and how it seemed that Nico had had new carpet put in recently, Umi moved over to Eli to check in on her.

“You good?” 

Eli nodded. “Better this morning. I’m just relieved.”

Umi nodded and handed over the duffle bag. “We brought changes of clothes for two days, just in case. Nico will be bringing your car with her so you’ll be able to come and go when you need to.”

“Thanks,” Eli rooted through the bag. “Oh good, you brought our phone charger too.”

She pulled out the cords and began to plug in her phone. Nozomi’s phone still had half a battery, thankfully.

“Well, how else are we going to get ahold of you? I would send a carrier pigeon but Kotori needs to be at work later.”

“Was that a Birb joke?” Eli blinked. Umi rarely made those jokes. 

Umi shrugged and stepped over to hand Kotori the other bag she had been holding.

“Oh, right. We brought muffins and some breakfast sammies too,” Kotori commented as she placed each item on the tray. 

“Oh good, I’m starving. Did ya bring any pickled veg?”  Nozomi said, trying to sit forward to get a glimpse into the bag. 

Kotori gestured for her to remain leaning back before pulling out a medium sized container full of different pickled vegetables. 

“My hero!” Nozomi clapped her hands together as Kotori began handing over the food to her.

Umi nudged Eli. “You too. Eat. There is enough for you.”

Eli made her way to sit in the chair by the bed and took the food that was handed to her. She savored the coffee too as the little group fell into an easy pace of conversation. Umi even stopped looking at her watch for a whole ten minutes. She knew because she had timed it.

A knock on the door hailed the arrival of Nico and Maki. Maki was already clad in her white coat, her shift had already began. 

“How’s everything this morning?” Maki came in and went immediately went for the chart. 

“Always on the job,” Nico walked in behind her and set Nozomi’s bag down on the bed. She used her other hand to toss Eli’s car keys over to her. 

“Fully detailed?” Eli grinned as she caught the keys with one hand.

“Up yours, Ayase,” Nico shot her a glare. “It’s in the exact condition you left it in last night. Which is to say, full of your junk.”

Eli laughed and finished her coffee. “Thanks.”

“Everything looks good, they’ve got you on extra vitamins and they’ll be giving you another shot later today just to make sure the contractions don’t start again. To be safe.” Maki said, closing the chart. She breathed an, almost imperceptible, sigh of relief. Even though she was a doctor, somethings never ceased to scare her. Especially when it came to her close friends. “But other than that. It looks like everything is going back to normal. You’ve got a healthy baby.”

“I feel fine, Maki-chan,” Nozomi said, catching her friend’s momentarily worried expression. “Just a little sore. But that will just take time. Thank you again,” Nozomi looked seriously at Maki. 

“It’s my job,” Maki defended, twirling the end of her hair on a finger. She seemed a embarrassed by the sincerity in Nozomi’s eyes. Somethings never change, no matter how old they got. 

“I’m glad you’re feeling better, but I’ve got to get to my rounds. I’ll be back later tonight to check on you since I’m on a forty eight.”

She gave a wave to the group before heading for the door. She stopped to give Nico a quick kiss on the temple and murmured a sweet ‘see you later.’ 

Umi averted her eyes, but Kotori sighed like she was trapped in the plot of a romance novel. Nozomi smiled to herself as her friends’ presence relaxed her. Setting her tea cup back on the table, the crinkle of the awful hospital gown reminded her that she’d really rather not be wearing it. She slide her legs to the end of the bed and slowly got up, pushing with her arms behind her. Eli was there immediately, supporting her as she stood.

“Where are you going?” Eli looked on, worried again.

“Well, Umi and Kotori were kind enough to bring a change of clothes so I’m gonna take advantage of that,” Nozomi smiled. “And I’m sure no one wants to see me in this hospital gown for longer than they have to.” 

Nozomi started to squat down to pick up the duffle bag but Eli beat her to it. She looked as if she was going to carry it for her.

“Elichi, the bag isn’t that heavy,” Nozomi gestured for Eli to hand over the clothing bag. “It is full of clothing, not bricks. Give it here.”

“But the doctor said..”

“It’s clothing Eli,” Umi reasoned. “Let the mother of your baby change clothes without you micromanaging it.”

“That’s rich coming from you. Got somewhere to be, watch checker?” Eli glared at Umi, who said nothing more. 

Nozomi still had her hand held out expectantly.

Eli frowned and handed over the bag. “You sure you don’t need help?”

Nozomi gave Eli a quick kiss. “I’ll be fine and I also have to pee. I’ll be back in a few minutes. You aren’t helping with that.” 

Eli grumbled a bit, but nodded. As Nozomi waddled her way gingerly into the bathroom, she made sure to watch in case she tripped or something. 

The sound of the door shutting was accompanied by a very loud eyeroll from Nico. Umi sighed as well.

“Leave me alone, okay,” Eli said sheepishly. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her now. “I just want to make sure she and the baby are alright.” 

Kotori walked over and placed a hand on Eli’s shoulder. 

“Eli-chan. It’s okay. We understand, don’t we?” Kotori gave Umi and Nico a very frightening look. They sobered immediately. No one wanted an angry Kotori, no one. They nodded immediately, knowing that there was no room to argue or make fun of Eli any more.

“Nozomi-chan and the baby will be fine. The hospital is taking the best care of them. Besides, Maki-chan won’t let anything happen,” she continued softly. “Just don’t hover so much unless Nozomi asks for something.”

Eli started to nod but her eyes became downcast upon the tile floor. “But what if...what if something happens and I’m not there?” She voiced her opinion where Nozomi, hopefully, could not hear her. “What if I can’t protective them the next time something like this happens?”

Kotori’s expression softened. 

Umi and Nico’s expressions followed suit. The two women couldn’t imagine something happening to their significant others and they knew the sentiment that Eli was expressing all too well.

“I can’t promise that nothing bad will happen,” Kotori admitted. “But you’re there for her when she needs it and that’s all you can do. If you’re unsure if you’re being helpful, ask her what she needs. Just be observant but not overbearing. You’ve been doing fine so far. Do your best. That’s all anyone asks of you. We don’t expect you to perfect. And besides, Nozomi-chan loves you and you love her.” She smiled brightly. “That will be enough for now. You have to let it be. More stress certainly won’t help. Right?”

Eli that knew what Kotori was saying was correct. Eli needed to chill and create a calm environment for Nozomi and the baby. But it was hard to do that with certain outside stressors. 

As if on cue in some terrible sitcom, Nozomi’s phone vibrated in its place on the table. Walking over to check on it, Eli spotted a very familiar number pop up on the screen and its presence made her blood boil. She snatched up the phone and headed out of the room. Umi gave her a questioning look but it went unanswered as Eli stepped into the hall and left the others behind.

She clicked the accept button.

“Ayase speaking.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little cliff hanger. But the next chapter will be fun. For me. 
> 
> Though, I do think this chapter was full of worthwhile moments. Hopefully you enjoyed the bit of comedy in this chapter. I had fun writing it.
> 
> Cheers, Friends! Until next time.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eli's had enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay. It's not nice to write a cliff hanger and then not deliver with a conclusion soon after! I had a lot on my plate. Go read my big bang if you don't believe me...
> 
> Anyhow, enjoy the update! I loved writing this chapter.
> 
> <3 Icarus

“Ayase speaking,” Eli answered, bracing herself for the incoming sound of Nozomi’s mother’s voice.

“Hello, Ayase-san. I hope that you are well,” Nozomi’s mother replied robotically. Eli knew that she didn’t really care how she was doing. The woman had only one agenda. 

“I am as well as can be expected, Tojo-san.” Eli’s tone was cold and distant. “How may I help you?”

“Well, last I checked this is my daughter’s number. If you’ll put her on the phone I would like to speak to her.”

“I’m sorry, Tojo-san, I cannot do that. I can take a message if you like. But I cannot promise that it will reach her.”

“No, I’ll say what I need to to my daughter. Please hand her the phone.”

“As I said, I won’t be doing that. You’re lucky I’m willing to take a message after everything that has happened.”

“You mean an ungrateful daughter not answering her phone when her mother calls?” Mrs. Tojo’s laugh was dry, harsh. “A mother who carried her for nine months, nursery and bathed her. Changed her diapers, raised her…”

“...Left her to attend high school by herself and live on her own because you couldn’t change your work schedule and do what was best for your daughter? Who didn’t even care enough to attend her high school graduation?”

“That’s speculation on your part, Ayase-san, now pleas--”

“A mother who then abandoned her in the first moment it was convenient for her?” Eli felt her voice rising. She couldn’t contain her anger any longer, not after what they had gone through in the previous 24 hours. “A mother who decided that her child’s happiness was not the most important thing in the world? Who may not have disowned her but constantly tells her how her life isn’t something she approves of? Who tells her that how she loves and who she loves is wrong? That how she built her life is an abomination?!”

“Ayase-san, this is really none of your business. Now, I’ll ask again. Put  _ my daughter _ on the phone. I know she is there.”

“She is in the other room. She doesn’t want to talk to you. And even if she did I wouldn’t let her. Because you know what? You’re toxic. Both you and your husband are  _ toxic _ . You’ve done nothing but hurt her her entire life.”

“We have done exactly what was best for her. We have had nothing but her wellbeing in mind. It is you who thinks that they can corrupt her. If it hadn’t been for her wanting to stay in Tokyo you would have never gotten that opportunity. You russian pervert…” Mrs. Tojo hissed. 

There was silence on Eli’s end of the phone as she could feel the heat on her face rise as the anger surged through her veins. 

“I did nothing but love your daughter. And she made her own choices. She chose me. And I’ve been lucky every day since I met her. She makes me a better person but you wouldn’t know anything about that.” Eli said coldly. She could feel her hands shaking now. “But this isn’t about me. It’s about what you’ve been doing. It’s about how you’ve been treating her. You’ve not only hurt her this time but you’ve endangered the very thing that she wants more than anything in the world: Her child. And I’ll be damned if I let you hurt them any longer.” Eli spat. 

“What do you me---”

But Eli didn’t let her finish. 

“Your actions have driven her stress so far through the roof that she was hospitalized last night and the doctors had to treat her for early, severe contractions that could have ended the pregnancy weeks before her due date. The simple fact that you kept pushing her to answer your calls, the fact that you were  _ hounding _ her could have meant catastrophic things for her life. For us. For Nozomi. For our child. Not that you care what would happen, because you’re only concerned with your own agenda for her.” 

The hospital staff were staring at her now, but Eli didn’t care. She had one thought on her mind and that was to protect Nozomi. 

“I’ve tried to play the supportive partner. I’ve stuck with Nozomi’s decision even when she wanted to keep in contact with you because for some insane reason she still loves you the way you treat her. She’s always been like that. She loves and expects little in return. That’s why she’ll make an amazing mother. She’s always hoped for you to change her mind about everything, but I knew you wouldn’t budge on it. But still she hoped. You’ve never approved of our relationship and I’ve never needed you to, personally, but it meant a lot to Nozomi. She wanted you to care about something that was important to her and that could have been her life. You could have been apart of this amazing thing that she has built and shared with me. You could have shared it too! But no, you couldn’t see past your own ignorance. Nozomi even thought that the baby might be the breaking point because how could you not love a child but even then you threw it back in her face. You’re completely heartless and so is your husband. So, enough is enough,  _ Tojo-san _ .” 

Eli was yelling into her phone. It was impossible not to hear what she was saying. “You are to stop calling this number. You aren’t to have any contact with Nozomi or me and definitely not our child. Because you’re nothing but poison. If she decides to contact you first that will be different entirely. It will be her choice. But for now, she wants nothing to do with you and neither do I.”

Eli could see out of the corner of her eye that a nurse was approaching her. She turned away again, lowering her voice to a sharp hiss.

“And if you ever try to come near her again before she decides to let you back in, I will personally see to it that you suffer for the indiscretion. I may live in Japan now but I have roots in Russia and we do not let our enemies get away. Am I understood?”

“Ayase you have no righ---” 

“Good riddance.”

**_*CLICK*_ **

Eli hung up. Her chest was heaving and she was livid. But she had said everything she had ever wanted to say to Nozomi’s mother. Her short victory was interrupted by someone clearing their throat.

Turning her head sharply to the noise, Eli’s cold blue gaze landed on the ER nurse from the previous night. She was standing there tapping her foot with a sour expression on her face. Her arms were crossed.

Eli didn’t have the patience for this right now. “And what the hell do you want?”

The nurse pursed her lips. “You’re disturbing the other patients. If it wasn’t enough that we let you visit at all, you have to go and disrupt the entire hospital with your phone ca---”

Stepping forward, Eli’s face was inches away from the nurse’s. Using her full height to her advantage, she looked down menacingly upon the nurse. The shadow that loomed across her sent a shiver down the woman’s spine before Eli spoke. 

“Listen here you little cunt,” Eli hissed sharply. “I’m done with your attitude. I don’t care what you think. I’ll yell as loudly as I want especially when I’m dealing with another cunt like you over the phone.” Eli pointed the cellphone in her hand at the nurse. “So, you’re gonna stop with your bitching and let me have my moment. I don’t need you or anyone else in my face right now. The only two things I care about are in the room behind me, so you can fuck off and take your attitude with you.”

The nurse froze for a moment, her sour expression turning into shock and then appall in under a second. She turned her nose off, harumphed, and then turned on her heel and headed down the hall. “You’ll be reported to the management.” She said under her breath. But Eli could hear her clearly.

She yelled after the woman, laughing through her annoyance. “Try me, sweetheart! I’m betting I’m gonna win that battle!” 

Eli started to turn around but added. “And I’m taller than your boss anyhow, don’t think I don’t know how to handle her!”

Finally heading to the door of Nozomi’s hospital room, Eli paused for a moment to compose herself. She ran a hand through her hair and took a few deep breaths. Putting on a smile, she opened the door and reentered the room. 

The first thing she saw was Nozomi. She’d gotten changed into the comfortable house clothes that Umi and Kotori had brought her. Eli smiled brightly as she approached. She was looking better but then she noticed that Nozomi was facing away from her. Her posture was a bit deflated. Then Eli noticed the expression of her friends in the room. Kotori was sitting in the corner chair with her eyes on the cup in her hands. Umi was sitting on the arm chair with her arms folded. She was glaring sternly at Eli. Then Nico was walking towards her. None of their expressions were good. Eli’s smile faltered as she realized the situation. 

They had all heard the phone call which meant that Nozomi had too.  _ Shit. _

Eli’s eyes went to Nozomi again but she was stopped from stepping forward by Nico who slapped her on the shoulder harshly. “Language, Ayase.” Nico verbally jabbed. “Way to fucking go.” She frowned. 

Nico turned to look at Nozomi for a moment. Her expression sympathetic. Then she looked to Kotori and Umi and gestured for them to follow her. 

“C’mon. Let’s leave Eli here to explain herself.” Nico commented. “Nozomi, if you need us we’ll be just down the hall.”

Nozomi didn’t acknowledge Nico’s words but she shifted slightly on the edge of the bed.

Kotori and Umi got up and followed Nico out of the room. Umi gave Eli a final glare. “You don’t think do you?” she murmured, shaking her head.

The sound of the door closing behind them could be heard. Eli felt her mouth go dry as she tried to speak. “N-nozomi?”

Nozomi’s head turned almost imperceptibly towards Eli, her bangs hiding her face. She knew that she had heard her and Eli moved around the bed and kneeled in front of Nozomi. 

“How much did you hear?” She swallowed. This wasn’t what she had wanted. She had never meant to hurt Nozomi.

“Almost all of it.” Nozomi admitted. “I was in the bathroom and it...carried…” 

Eli reached her shaky hands forward and took Nozomi’s in hers. “Listen. I didn’t mean to...I mean I did mean to tell them off. I just couldn’t stand by. They were still calling and I didn’t want them to hurt you…”

“Ya said all those things, Eli…” Nozomi whispered. She didn’t pull away from Eli which was a good sign. 

“I know...I know…” Eli murmured. “But what was I supposed to do? I just want to protect you. You shouldn’t have to deal with them. Not like that.”

“Eli…” Nozomi said but Eli was afraid of what she might say. Her voice was so quiet. 

“You have every right to hate me. But I want to protect you. I want to protect our baby. It all just slipped out, all the anger from over the years at them. How they treated you---”

“Did you mean what you said?” Nozomi whispered. 

Eli hesitated but now wasn’t the time to lie. “Yes.”

“Every word?” 

“Yes. Each and every one.” Eli nodded. She brought her lips to Nozomi’s hand and placed a kiss on each. 

“Even the part about about ya being lucky since ya met me? T-that I make ya a better person?”

Eli blinked but she nodded. “Especially that part.”

Nozomi’s shoulders began to shake. The tears came fast dropping onto the top of her shirt that laid atop her pregnant stomach. Eli could see the droplets collecting there and Eli immediately regretted answering that phone call. 

“I’m sorry. Ssh ssh. I’m so sorry. I should never hav---”

“No.” Nozomi said suddenly. “I’m sorry. Ya said everything I’ve always been too scared to say to her. I’ve never been that brave.” She looked up at Eli, her turquoise eyes sparkling with wetness from her tears. Her expression was one of relief. “But you always have been. And you did what needed to be done. I’m the one who needs to apologize. I dragged it on for so long and I let it put me in here…”

“Nozomi,” Eli said softly, getting up and sitting on the bed next to her. “None of that was your fault. Being in this hospital isn’t your fault. No beating yourself up about that. I was only doing what I thought was best. I always see how hurt you are after you interact with them. And this was the last straw for me.” Eli planted a kiss on Nozomi’s forehead and wrapped her arms around her from the side and hugged her. “I probably could have handled that better, though…”

Nozomi laughed softly as she snuggled into Eli’s embrace. Her tears were falling more slowly now. 

“I think the whole hospital heard…” Nozomi sniffled. 

“Probably.” Eli winced. “I guess I am an idiot.”

“Yeah, but I love ya.” Nozomi said, curling her fingers into Eli’s shirt. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. And I love you too.” Eli kissed Nozomi once more for good measure. “But I guess this means we truly are on our own, huh?”

“No, we have our friends. I have you.” Nozomi grinned. “What else do I need?”

Eli couldn’t help but smile brightly. That had gone a lot better than she had anticipated. She leaned in to kiss Nozomi properly now, shifting to a more comfortable sitting position. But they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

When they turned around, they saw Maki leaning on the doorframe still wearing her doctor’s coat. She was inspecting her fingernails. 

“So, I heard there was a disturbance on this floor. Something about a crazy screaming blonde woman…” Maki commented.

Eli shrank. She hadn’t expected the bitchy ER nurse to actually complain about her. 

“Maki, I can explain---” 

“No need, Eli. Nico-chan already told me what happened.” She looked over at Nozomi. “Everything ok?” Maki asked as though asking if Eli needed to be disposed of. Eli frowned.

Nozomi nodded. She wiped the last of the tears from her eyes but she smiled. “Yes, Maki-chan, thank you. I think we’ll be fine.”

Maki nodded. 

“Good, I didn’t want to have to take that nurse’s side. She’s such a…”

“Cunt.” Both Maki and Eli said at once. Nozomi laughed heartily at their outburst and she felt the baby kick in response. She placed a hand upon the spot where the baby had moved.

“It seems no one likes that woman.” Nozomi rubbed her stomach lightly.

“Tell me about it.” Maki rolled her eyes. 

“Can’t you fire her?” Eli asked. 

“I wish. But Papa says I have to work with people I hate sometimes. But that doesn’t mean I can’t make her life a living hell in the meantime.” Maki smirked. “I’ll leave you two to it, then. Eli, try not to cause a panic again? ‘Russians don’t let their enemies get away’, huh?” 

Eli shrugged. “It’s all I could think of.”

“Whatever.” Maki waved at them over her shoulder as she left the room. 

Nozomi laughed. “Really, Eli? Ya told that to my mother?”

“Yeah. But really you should have heard her…” Eli blushed embarrassedly. Nozomi kissed her on the cheek. 

“Thanks again. I don’t know what I’d do without ya, Elichi.” Nozomi said softly. 

“Probably have a much calmer life.” Eli laughed.

“Nah, I wouldn’t want that. It’s much better this way,” Nozomi said, taking Eli’s hand and placing it on her stomach. “And where would we be without ya?” 

Eli’s face split into a goofy smile. 

“See? We’re gonna be alright.” Nozomi said calmly. “It’s all uphill from here.”


	11. Chapter 11

Being released from the hospital was surprisingly the easy part for Nozomi. After everything stabilized it was just a few check ups with her doctor and she was good to go. But what Nozomi didn’t anticipate was how much being on bedrest for two weeks would suck. She was normally very fond of relaxing at home and taking naps but this wasn’t the glorious situation she had pictured in her mind. She didn’t have a choice but to stay in bed or on the couch for most of the day and that became increasingly annoying, especially when she wanted to get out and take some photos or if she even wanted to prepare lunch for herself. All of those things were out of the question the doctor prescribed bedrest.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Eli was in overprotective mode again. She had taken a few days off in order to make sure that Nozomi and the baby were okay and she went about making sure that Nozomi’s every need was tended to. It was cute at first, but soon Eli’s constant hovering made Nozomi more and more stressed. She would try to nap, Eli would be there asking if she needed anything. Eli would hear the smallest cough or sneeze from Nozomi and would suggest a full doctor visit. It got to where Nozomi had to banish her girlfriend from the bedroom during the day so she could read without an interruption every other page.

She loved Eli with all of her heart but if she didn’t cut it out she was going to strangle her and leave their unborn baby without a Papachika. On the fourth day, Nozomi made Eli go back to work. Eli fought against this saying that she could do her work from home but when Nozomi asked exactly how much she had gotten done over the last few days while she was watching Nozomi’s every breath Eli knew that her girlfriend was right. 

“But I don’t want to leave you on your own,” Eli reasoned with a frown. “What if something else happens and I’m not here.”

Nozomi beckoned for Eli to sit next to her on the bed. When Eli complied, Nozomi reached out and took Eli’s hand. She intertwined her fingers with Eli’s as she spoke. 

“Hey, you have got to stop worrying, okay?” Nozomi smiled softly as she reclined against the pillow. “The doctor said things are fine now. Baby is healthy. No more contractions since that day. As long as I take it easy things will continue to improve. I’m even doing as I’m told and staying in bed most of the day. Rin’s even been able to handle the events that I had cancel on so there isn’t any worry there. She’s good at what she does so I’m not stressed. I’m just bored.” 

Nozomi chuckled and Eli cracked a small smile as well. 

“I know you are. And you’re right,” Eli sighed as she squeezed Nozomi’s hand. “I just worry too much, I guess.” She said sheepishly. “But I’m not wrong in thinking that you need someone here with you during the day.”

“Eli…” Nozomi blew her bangs out of her face. They were growing longer and she thought she should trim them soon. “I’m not helpless, you know. I don’t need a babysitter. I’m the one having the baby!” she laughed and rubbed the top of her stomach through her shirt. “I can manage on my own. It’s not like I haven’t done it before.”

“I know, I know. And you’re very capable but this is different. Just bear with me, okay? It won’t be like having a babysitter. It will just be our friends coming to help out when they have time. I’ll even get Alisa to come over and help. You like her and she’s not one to get underfoot. They’ll just be here in case of an emergency and to help you fix meals and stuff since you aren’t supposed to be standing for too long.”

“I’m more than capable of making a sandwich.”

“Yes, but you can’t live on sandwiches alone. You need nutritious food. Vegetables,” Eli poked Nozomi on the cheek. “And if I leave you alone you’ll end up eating nothing but junk.”

“Hey, I’m not that bad,” pouted Nozomi.

“Not anymore,” Eli chuckled. “But you still tend to go for the easy food which isn’t necessarily the most healthy. Besides, it will do you some good to see everyone. They want to help so this is a good way to go about it now that things have calmed down.”

“Fine, but only if it means you won’t take anymore time off of work. You’ve missed too much already and I don’t want you to jeopardize what you’ve built at the company.” Nozomi reached out to caress Eli’s cheek with her other hand. Eli leaned in instinctively. “I already worry that something will happen if they decide to dig into the fact that you’re my partner. Japan isn’t the kindest sometimes when it comes to relationships like ours.”

Eli frowned. “I know. But sometimes I don’t care about what they think. I’d choose you every time.”

“You have to care, “ Nozomi smiled softly, but her eyes were a sad. “Things aren’t as simple as we would like them to be but we’re making progress slowly but surely. One day it will be simpler. We just have to make it to that day.”

“It doesn’t matter if it is simple or easy,” Eli said as she brought Nozomi’s hand from her cheek to her lips and kissed it. “I’ll love you no matter what and we’ll get through this.”

“We will. Together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very short chapter. Just shy of 1000 words, but I like this little moment so it makes for a nice interlude after everything. It will lead to more good things. I'm working to update more frequently so we'll see how it goes. ^.^ In the meantime, check out my follower milestone Fic giveaway on tumblr!   
> http://icaruswings87.tumblr.com/post/153361852495/icarus-flyin-fic-giveaway  
> 


	12. Chapter 12

“Hello?” Nozomi said, propping the phone between her shoulder and her ear as she sat on the bed.

“Hey, it’s me.” Eli asked, as she shuffled papers on her end of the phone. “Is everything alright?” 

Eli had been trying to focus on her work all morning but her mind just wasn’t there. She’d finally conceded that she wasn’t gonna get anything done until she actually called Nozomi. 

“Eli,” Nozomi said, a slight chuckle in her tone. “I’m fine. Things here are fine. I told you not to worry. Besides, Rin and Honoka are here with me. That's the whole point of them being here is so that you don't have to worry, silly face."

“That's true but then why did it take you so long to answer the phone? Are they slacking off? The phone rang four whole times,” Eli pouted, leaning against the palm of her hand. Her eyes were watching the other workers pass by the glass doors of her office. They gave her odd looks as she concentrated so intensely on the phone call and her lunch.

“Of course they aren’t slacking off. We were just catching up about what’s been going on for everyone. Rin-chan was filling me in on what happened at the last shoot she did by herself. You know, basic conversation. Unless that is an activity that is off limits too?” Nozomi asked, sarcastically. She shifted into a more upright position on her bed as she stuffed a pillow behind her back. 

“No, of course it isn’t off limits. I was just curious.” Eli sighed quietly. “Is the visit at least going well? They aren’t causing trouble are they?”

“Of course not. We were thinking about what to have for lunch right before you called they were going to coo--”

*BANG* 

A loud clatter came from the kitchen and drifted over Nozomi’s end of the phone. She flinched and covered the receiver, ignoring Eli’s frantic noises in order to check and see what was happening.

“What just fell?” Nozomi yelled through the open bedroom door. The two ginger haired women had scurried off to make lunch when Eli had called and in order to give Nozomi privacy on the call. 

When she didn’t hear an immediate response to her question she began to scoot towards the edge of the bed with while still trying to keep her hand over the receiver. Wiggling back and forth she managed to get her feet where she could touch the floor and find her slippers.

“Honoka-chan? Rin-chan?” She tried again. There was murmuring from the kitchen before its occupants answered at last. 

“Nothing!” Both women answered at the same time which only caused Nozomi’s suspicion to grow. 

“Just, um...looking for a pot.” Honoka added quickly. Her voice sounded frantic and Nozomi could tell that she was moving around quickly.

“Yeah, a pot, nya.” Rin chimed in. “Everything is a-ok. No worries, Nozomi-chan.”

Nozomi removed her hand from the phone and put it back to her ear. 

“Nozomi!” Eli was sounding panicked now. “Nozomi! Are you there?!”

“Yes, Elichi, I’m here,” Nozomi said, tiredly. 

“Oh thank god, Are you alright? What was that sound?” 

“It was just Rin-chan and Honoka-chan making lunch.” 

“What?” Eli choked on the air she had just inhaled. “You let them in the kitchen?!”

“Eli,” Nozomi pinched the bridge of her nose. “Honoka is more than capable of being in the kitchen. She runs her family bakery and she went to cooking school. You know this. And Rin-chan is just helping her. All will be fine. You have got to stop worrying, okay?”

“I know, bu---”

“No. No ‘buts’, Eli. You need to get back to work and stop thinking the worst. We talked about this. So, please, for the sake of my sanity calm down.”

Eli made a small noise that Nozomi couldn’t decipher. 

“What was that?” Nozomi asked. 

“I said, okay. I just--”

“You just what? Don’t you trust them to take care of me?”

“It’s not that.” Eli admitted as she fidgeted with the pens on her desk. “I do trust them.”

“Then what it is?” Nozomi asked, exasperatedly. 

“I just want to be there.” she commented quietly. “It’s unfair that I have to rely on others to take care of you.”

Nozomi blinked and realized something she’d been missing this entire time. Eli felt lost. This was completely new territory for the blonde. All of her normal tactics wouldn’t work with a child on the way. Granted it was new territory for Nozomi too. She’d certainly never had a child before either. But  

“Eli,” Nozomi said, softly, soothingly. “I know it is hard. Everything is uncertain. But I’m fine. Our friends are here to help. And you don’t have to be here twenty-four seven. You’ve got a job that you’re amazing at and that job allows us to provide for our future. Concentrate on that while you are there and we’ll sort out the rest when you are here in person. Worrying only causes you to suffer twice if something does go wrong.”

“But you admit that something could go wrong…” Eli points out. 

“Yes, I do.” Nozomi stood up at last, still cradling the phone. “A million things could possibly go wrong but if I’ve learned anything from the past month it is going to do me absolutely no good to worry about what is gonna go wrong. I was in the hospital once because of the stress and if you don’t chill out you’re gonna give yourself a heart attack too.”

“I--”

“Eli.” Nozomi said sternly now, going into mother mode. “Use that brain that I know is in your head. The more relaxed we are about this the better. My best rest is over next week - thank goodness. And after that things will go back to semi-normal. We’ll be able to properly prepare for our baby girl’s arrival. Let’s focus on the good. That’s what I want. So, can we please do that?”

“Yes,” Eli breathed softly. “I would like that too. I will do better. I’m sorry, Non-tan.”

“Apology accepted. But for now, get back to work. I promise things here are completely under control. I love you and I’ll see you later.”

“Ok. I’ll be home at normal time. I love you too, Non-tan.”

Nozomi smiled and hung up the phone. She slipped it into the pocket of her pajama pants and then turned her attention back to the kitchen. She could still hear the telltale signs of Rin and Honoka moving around. She steeled herself and waddled out of the room in order to face whatever mess her friends were making. 

\---

“We’re sorry again about the kitchen, Nozomi-chan.” Rin said as she rubbed the back of her head as she stood near the front door. “We really did just want to surprise you by making dumplings. Who knew that they would be so difficult.” Rin laughed nervously. 

The day had been a long one. Nozomi had discovered Rin and Honoka covered in flour and soy sauce and one of her favorite pots in pieces on the kitchen floor when she’d gone to investigate. It had taken all afternoon in order to clean up the mess they had made. 

“Yeah, sorry,” Honoka said next to her. “I thought they couldn’t be that much different than Manjuu but I guess you learn something new every day. Heheheh.” 

Nozomi turned to look at Hanayo who was standing next to Rin. Hanayo was shaking her head at her girlfriend. Luckily, Rin had been able to call Hanayo to come help with the mess. Nozomi wasn’t exactly capable of scrubbing kitchen floors in her condition. 

“I’m just glad I was done for the day,” Hanayo admitted. “What would have happened if Eli-chan had seen that mess, you two? She would have flipped her lid.”

Snorting with laughter, Nozomi covered her mouth at the thought. “Yeah, Eli wouldn’t have taken it very well considering she heard the bang from the kitchen when I was on the phone with her and I had just reassured her that you were more than capable of taking care of things like the adults you are.” She smirked.

Honoka and Rin looked more ashamed of themselves. 

“We’ll do better next time, Nozomi-chan.” Rin vowed. “We aren’t useless. Honoka-chan just got overexcited.”

“Yeah, that happens when it comes to me and food.” Honoka laughed nervously. “But everything is fine now. Hopefully we at least kept your afternoon from being boring, right?”

Nozomi nodded. “This afternoon certainly wasn’t boring. Though I wouldn’t mention to Eli that I spend most of it out of bed.”

“I agree with that statement,” Hanayo admitted as she ushered Rin out the apartment door. “We should get going so you can actually rest now.”

“Bye, Nozomi-chan!” Honoka and Rin called as they dashed down the apartment steps. “We’ll see ya later.”

“Bye, ladies.” Nozomi waved to those two. Hanayo, however, was still standing in the doorway. “Yes, Hanayo-chan?”

“Is there anything else you need before I go?” She was taking in Nozomi’s tired form. “We really didn’t mean for you to strain yourself today.”

“No, you didn’t strain me today. It was a nice change of pace, to be honest. Eli’s been hovering a bit and I’ve barely been able to go to the bathroom by myself lately. So, being able to walk around a bit more was nice. Even if there was a mess in my kitchen.” She smiled at Hanayo. “I think I’m all set. Just gonna set up on the couch and wait for Papachika to come home.” 

Hanayo smiled at her and nodded. “Got it. Well, let me know if you need anything in the meantime.” 

Hanayo turned to leave but then stopped as she remembered something. “Oh, are we still on for ‘wives night’ as usual? It’s a little weird this month since you have been on bedrest but we could have it here so you don’t have to go anywhere.”

Nozomi thought for a moment about it. “That should be fine. I can’t drink wine but you girls can. I’ll just shoo Elichi out the house and make her go hang out with Umi. She’s getting on my nerves anyhow.” She chuckled and leaned against the door frame. “If you’ll let the other girls know, I’d appreciate it. This lady is gonna play the pregnant card to get out of organizing things for a change.”

Hanayo laughed. “Of course. Just text me what food you want for snacks and I’ll take care of everything else.” 

“You’re a lifesaver, Hanayo-chan. Bye.” Nozomi waved as Hanayo left.

She shut the door behind her and made her way over to the couch. Eli would be off work in ten minutes so she might as well make herself comfortable. Arranging the pillows in a nest like fashion she gently lowered herself into it and found the remote for the television. The commercial that came on was for a new cafe in Akihabara advertising all sorts of sweets. There was even a fruit parfait which made Nozomi think back to when she and Eli first started dating. She laughed to herself at the memory of that first awkward date. They had been so young then, but their taste for sweet things hadn’t diminished at all. And now Nozomi was craving ice cream. 

She pulled out her phone and texted Eli. Her lover owed her at least a milkshake after the last few days. She figured now was as good of a time as any to pay that debt. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay between chapters. Time keeps getting away from me. Next chapter is a meeting of the 'wives' haha. Let's see what happens when you get a box of wine, Kotori, Hanayo, Nico and Nozomi under the same roof. And how will Papachika and the others spend their time banished from the festivities?


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wives night and Soldier Game. Nuff said.
> 
> Enjoy! More to come soon.

Feeling refreshed, Eli made her way out of the bedroom as she dried her long hair with a towel. It had been a long day at work and she was extremely happy to home and out of the cold. Even for someone like her who adapted well to the cold the temperatures outside the current cold snap was bothersome. She’d taken a shower when she’d gotten home and immediately changed into a pair of comfy pajamas.

She stepped into the living room still rubbing the towel through her hair.

“Non-tan, where are you?” Eli asked, finally removing the towel from her head so she could see.

“In here, Elichi!” Nozomi’s voice came from the kitchen.

Eli could hear the sizzling of a frying pan and rushed into the kitchen.

“What are you doing?” The concern in her voice apparent as she saw Nozomi stand on her tiptoes and reach into the cabinet above her. The angle was giving her difficulty due to her stomach so she shifted and reached from her side as she leaned against the counter top.

“I’m cooking, what does it look like?” Nozomi said, still trying to reach the spice rack. Her fingers grazing the container of pepper before pushing it further out of her reach.

Eli stepped in, snatching the spice container down from the shelf and handing it to her.

“That’s cheating,” Nozomi frowned, shifting back down onto the flat of her feet.

“Being tall is not cheating,” Eli snorted. “It’s simply an evolutionary advantage. Besides, you’re avoiding the real issue here: You shouldn’t be on your feet so much let alone cooking dinner. You might injure or strain yourself.”

Ignoring her girlfriend’s protest, Nozomi went back to working on the food on the stove. She added a few pinches of pepper to a sauce pan, stirring it lightly.

“Hand me the sesame oil while you’re busy being tall.”

Eli complied, reaching back into the cabinet. “You should have just said you were hungry and I would have made something.”

“You were in the shower.” She shrugged.

“You still could have said something.” Eli said, as she handed the bottle to Nozomi.

“Nope. I’m perfectly capable of cooking. You spent the entire day working hard and making money to support me and our baby. And as of today I am no longer on bed rest so I can once again contribute to the household,” Nozomi explained as she used a small saucer bowl to taste the sauce.

“I know, but that’s no reason to overdo it already,” Eli conceded, stepping forward. She wrapped her arms around Nozomi’s waist and set her chin on her shoulder. “And I can still cook dinner for you.”

Nozomi leaned briefly into Eli before going about her cooking. She added a few drops of sesame oil to the sauce before tasting the sauce again. Smacking her lips, she smiled. She put more sauce in the little bowl and offered it to Eli, feeding it to her.

“Here, taste.”

Eli leaned forward slightly to taste the sauce. “Tastes great. But why did you make so much for just the two of us?”

“It’s not for us. Well, for you, anyhow.”

“What do you mean? I’m hungry.”

Nozomi laughed as she felt Eli’s posture droop. She turned off the fire under another pan full of grilled sausages. “It’s not for Elichi because tonight is ‘wives night’ and the girls are coming over so I decided to make something to contribute to the snacks.” She explained as she turned the fire off from under the skillet.

Eli frowned and snuggled closer to her. “Can you cancel?” She kissed Nozomi’s shoulder once. Then twice. “I wanted to snuggle on the couch with you and watch a movie. It’s Friday night. We were gonna relax tonight and then sleep in tomorrow morning.” Another kiss. “Just you…” Another kiss. “...and me…”

Nozomi bit her lip. She knew what Eli was trying to do and it certainly felt nice. “Eli…” Nozomi said softly. She didn’t want to show how weak she was to her charms. She set down the pair of tongs she was using. “I can’t cancel. It would be rude since I’m the one hosting…”

“But Nozomi…” Eli whined.

“No buts. I already told you about it,” Nozomi said, making Eli loosen her grip so she could turn around and look at her properly.

“You did? When?” Eli scrunched up her nose in thought. Nozomi thought that it looked adorable when the blonde made that face so she leaned up and kissed her on her nose. Eli instantly melted in Nozomi’s hands.

“Wednesday, before you left for work.”

“Oh, I guess I was still half asleep from the night before and I didn’t want to get out of bed.” Eli pulled Nozomi as closer to her as she was able without crushing her pregnant stomach. She kissed her properly before nuzzling her cheek.

“It was cold that day, I don’t blame you,” Nozomi hummed as Eli started to sway the two of them in place.

The warm moment was definitely one that she hated to interrupt but it was approaching seven o’clock and she still needed to finish what she was doing, plus Eli had started humming trying to lull her into changing her mind. She put her hands on Eli’s chest and lightly pushed away.

“As nice as this is, Elichi, I don’t have time right now. Tonight I’m getting together with Hanayo, Kotori and Nico tonight and I need to get ready.” She placed a kiss on Eli’s cheek. “And you need to get ready too.”

“Me? Why me? I’m not going anywhere.” Eli frowned in confusion.

“You really are forgetful this week,” Nozomi kissed her nose again before stepping away. “Umi and Maki are picking you up when they drop off Nico and Kotori, remember?”

“No…” Eli leaned back against the counter.

“Well, you are. So, you best get out of your pajamas.”

“But I thought you didn’t have time for that…” Eli smirked earning a swat from the spatula that had found its way into Nozomi’s hand.

“That’s enough out of you, you mischievous fox. Now, go get changed. Umi will be here before you know it. You know that she’s always on time down to the second.”

“Fine,” Eli sighed in an exaggerated way, before looking sternly at Nozomi. “But tomorrow, we’re not going anywhere. I’m making you breakfast when we decide to get out of bed and then we’re gone have a lazy day watching whatever and doing whatever we want to.”

“It’s a date.”

Eli caught Nozomi before she turned and pulled her into a more passionate kiss. She smiled into it before Nozomi pulled away. smiled into the kiss before trying to deepen it again.

“Nope,” Nozomi laughed before doing her best to push Eli out of the kitchen. “Now, go.”

Eli smirked as she jogged out of the kitchen. Shaking her head, Nozomi waddled back to the stove to finish the food.

\---

“I don’t understand why I have to go out too.”

Nico and Maki were sitting in their car in the parking lot of Eli and Nozomi’s apartment.

“It’s my day off, I should be able to do what I want to do.” Maki huffed, keeping her mittens on the steering wheel.

Even though the expensive car had a good heating system, Maki still felt cold seeping into her bones. Beside her in the passenger seat, Nico was bundled in three layers of winter clothing, her red eyes barely visible above her scarf. If Maki hadn’t been feeling so grumpy she would have laughed at how Nico looked like a pink marshmallow. But now wasn’t the time.

“It isn’t about what you want to do tonight, it’s about you and Umi getting Eli to lighten the fuck up. She’s driving Nozomi batty it’s your job to figure out what’s bothering her the most and/or get her to relax tonight.” Nico said, her teeth chattering lightly. “I know you aren’t the best about talking about other people’s feelings but for tonight I need you to try to soldier through it.”

“But Nico-chan...” Maki whined and looking down.

“Maki,” Nico moved her heavily layered hand over to place it on Maki’s leg. The redhead didn’t need as many layers to stay warm so her winter clothing was much more streamlined than Nico’s. Plus, Maki didn’t have such a struggle with the cold as her girlfriend did. Nico would freeze until the force of a light breeze in spring.

“Look, I’ll make it up to you later. Plus, I’ve been looking forward to hanging out with the others this week. So, bear with me for tonight, okay?” Nico leaned over to give Maki a reassuring kiss but under the weight her jackets the romantic gesture fell flat and she wobbled back into place like a child’s toy.

Maki cracked a smile and began giggling at her girlfriend’s difficulties. .

It was Nico’s turn to huff. “Let’s just go upstairs already.”

Maki leaned over the console and placed a kiss on NIco’s cheek. Pulling away, Maki opened her door and got out. When the click of the driver’s side door shutting was heard, Nico smiled quietly to herself, pulling her face down into her scarf to hide the blush on her cheeks. A moment later the passenger door opened and Maki’s hand appeared in Nico’s line of sight, offering to help her out of the car. Taking Maki’s hand, Nico wiggled her way out of the car seat and onto the pavement and the couple headed up to their friend’s apartment.

\---

“Now, if anything happens while I’m gone, you’ve got the number for the general practitioner, the obstetrician, the midwife we’re going to be using…”

Kotori and Hanayo stood staring at the thick booklet of paper that Eli had just given them. The blonde was also explaining in great detail the contents of the booklet as well as any other thing that she thought they might need in case Nozomi so much as stubbed her little toe on the edge of the table.

“It also has the number for the hospital and the taxi service in case you need someone else to drive and for some reason you can’t,” Eli continued before pointing to the front page of the booklet. “I included my number as well in case you forget it or you phone battery dies on you and can’t access your contact. The go bag are in the hall closet on the left. Make sure you take that if anything happens. It’s also got another copy of this booklet in case you lose it.”

Hanayo simply blinked up at Eli. She was beginning to get nervous under all of the pressure. She had come over for a relaxed night with her friends but suddenly she felt as if the world was resting on her shoulders. Kotori chanced a glance over at Umi who was checking her watch as she waited for Maki and Nico to show up.

“Now, if you have any other questions about this don’t hesitate to call me while I’m out. My phone is never on silent these days so if I don’t respond within one minute of a text message or a call, try again.”

Nozomi rubbed the temples of her forehead. She looked at Hanayo and Kotori apologetically before stepping forward and placing a hand on Eli’s shoulder.

“Elichi,” Nozomi interrupted. “I’m sure that Hanayo-chan and Kotori-chan are more than capable of handling themselves in an emergency. So, you don’t have to worry, okay?” She placed a placating kiss on Eli’s cheek.

“That’s right, Eli-chan,” Kotori beamed, happy that the lecture was over. “We’ve got everything covered. Between myself, Hanayo-chan, and Nico-chan we won’t let you down if something happens.”

Hanayo nodded dutifully. Her face a picture of seriousness.

“Are you sure because I can---”

“Nothing is going to happen.” Nozomi said, reassuringly. She kissed her once more for good measure before gently pushing her towards the living room. “We are just gonna stay in and have a little ‘girl’s night’. And I promise I won’t do anything strenuous. Now, get your coat on, Nicocchi and Maki-chan will be here any--”

The doorbell rang.

“Ah, right on time.” Nozomi beamed as she waddled over to the door.

“Actually, they are fifteen minutes late,” Umi corrected. Kotori rolled her eyes in response.

Nozomi opened the door letting the new arrivals come in. Nico barreled her way into the apartment, hopping a bit trying to get warm.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck it’s cold out there.” Nico mumbled as she ran over to the vent in the living room of the apartment.

Maki slipped in behind her with a quick thanks to Nozomi before they shut the door.

“It’s nice to see you too, Nicocchi.” Nozomi chuckled.

Eli frowned. “Nico, you really shouldn’t be using that kind of language around our child.”

“Your kid ain’t even born yet. It can’t hear a damn thing I’m saying so don’t get your giant panties in a twist, Ayase.” Nico said, her teeth still chattering. Eli clearly didn’t like this answer.

“Actually,” Hanayo interrupted. “Research has shown that at around week sixteen the baby’s ears have developed enough that the inner ear has connected with neurons in the brain that are responsible for processing sound. The middle ear is more developed at that point so they are able to start detecting limited noises.”

The room was quiet. Nico looked a bit pale as Hanayo continued.

“So, since Nozomi-chan is at what…” Hanayo turned to look at Nozomi in question. “Twenty nine weeks?”

“Thirty.” Nozomi corrected. She had a small smile on her face. Eli wrapped her arms around Nozomi from behind.

“Thirty weeks, then.” Hanayo nodded. “The baby may not completely understand language but it can recognize and can distinguish between sounds and the feelings that they put off. It even can respond and turn it’s head.”

“Fuck.” Nico said quietly, earning another glare from Eli. “Sorry, that one was an accident. I’ll tone it down.” She conceded.

Eli nodded in victory making Nozomi laugh.

“I didn’t know you knew so much about fetal development, Hanayo-chan,” Kotori said.

“Mhm. I’ve been reading up on it a bit since Nozomi-chan told us about the pregnancy. And I work at a daycare so it can’t hurt to have extra knowledge on hand.” Hanayo smiled.

Umi nodded approvingly. “A little knowledge never hurt anyone. That much is true.”

“Yeah, especially when that knowledge might come in handy should you decide to have little one of your own.” Nozomi teased.

“It’s not...exactly like that.” Hanayo looked embarrassed. “I just wanted to read up on it.”

Kotori patted Hanayo on the back. “We can talk more about it later. But for now.” She looked over to Umi, Maki and Eli. “Some of us should be on their way.”

Eli and Maki instantly frowned but Umi nodded. “Yes, we should.” She turned to look at Eli and Maki. “C’mon. Let’s go and let the girls have their fun.”

Umi put her coat back on before walking over to Kotori and placing a kiss on her forehead. “I will be back for you at precisely eleven P.M. on the dot.”

Kotori giggled. “I look forward to it.” She stole an actual kiss from Umi, who blushed. “Now get going.”

Umi opened the front door as Eli gave Nozomi a few more kisses.

“Call me if you need anything, okay?” Eli confirmed once more.

“Yes, yes, I will. Now go.” Nozomi smacked Eli on the arm. “And try to have some fun, okay?”

Eli nodded and made her way out the front door with Umi.

Maki waited for an awkward moment by the door until Nico walked over and gave her a kiss. “Don’t be such a grump. Go enjoy your friends.”

Maki nodded with a slight smile and then followed after the others.

Once the door was shut and locked a sigh of relief went around the room. A relaxed atmosphere wafted over the room.

“I didn’t think she was actually gonna leave.” Nozomi admitted, waddling back into the kitchen.

“Same with Maki.” Nico said, finally taking off two layers of winter gear and hanging them up near the door. She still had a heavy sweater on. “She fought me tooth and nail.”

“Umi-chan was a little reluctant, too. But I have my ways of persuading her.” Kotori winked as she came out of the kitchen carrying a tray of beverages.

“Ugh, spare the details.” Nico groaned, snatched a glass of wine from the tray as Kotori passed. “You’d think they weren’t friends the way they complain about having to go out like that.”

“They’re probably just tired and wanted to stay home,” Hanayo commented as she fluffed a few pillows on the couch.

“More like they’re sticks in the mud,” said Nico. “Eli can’t stop hovering over Nozomi as if she is about to break under the weight of a strong sneeze. Maki whined because she wanted to stay in. And I get it because today is her only day off this week. She doesn’t get many.”

“Babies, all of them.” Nozomi shouted from the kitchen as she laughed.

“Mhm,” Nico responded. “That reminds me, why didn’t Rin go with them tonight? She’d definitely make sure they’d have some fun. Rin is always the life of the party.”

“She’s out of town,” Hanayo smiled.

“Oh, yeah? Where’d she go?” Nico walked over to refill her glass.

“She took a last-minute wedding gig,” Nozomi interjected. “I told her she didn’t have to but she wants the experience and since I’m out of commission for the time being she’s taking on a bit more of the work load until I can come back.”

“She really does enjoy it,” Hanayo reassured Nozomi as she took one of the plates of food into the living room. “It’s the first time I’ve seen her so focused since she left the athletic league a few years ago. It’s really given her a good direction.”

“Well, I’m always happy to have her. Otherwise, we’d have no supplemental income coming in.” Nozomi followed behind her with a plate of grilled sausages. “What about Honoka-chan? Did you invite her?”

“I did but she had a hot date.” Kotori commented. “Which is good because that means that one day she might have a full time girlfriend and she’ll move out of our guest house.”

“She hasn’t gotten an apartment yet? I mean I know her last situation didn’t work out exactly, but it’s been almost a year,” Nico commented.

“No, she hasn’t,” sighed Kotori as she poured a beer for herself. “I love Honoka-chan, but Umi-chan is far less likely to be in the mood for some private time if she knows that Honoka-chan might burst in at any moment.”

Hanayo blushed. “Y-yeah, I can see that being a problem.”

“I can see it now,” Nico laughed. “You’re there, straddling Umi - because let’s face it, she’s not likely to take the initiative - and Honoka wrenches open the door yelling something about a sale on bread at the supermarket.”

“You’d be surprised,” smirked Kotori. “Umi-chan can be surprisingly passionate and direct when the mood hits her.”

“Oh do tell…” Nozomi said, settling into the corner of the couch. “I love a juicy story.”

“Never mind,” Nico cringed. “I don’t want to know that. Forget I said anything.”

“Oh, c’mon, Nicocchi. Nothing wrong with a little sex talk. We’re all adults. Besides, I’m sure Maki-chan has her moments of glory in the bedroom. You can’t always be the direct one,” Nozomi teased. “Eli has a few surprises up her sleeve too.”

“Nope. Nope. Nope. You’re done.” Nico made an ‘X’ with her arms at Nozomi. “Next thing I know, you’ll be wanting to talk about how Hanayo secretly likes to top Rin in the bedroom.”

“Well…” Hanayo’s voice squeaked, her face turning a violent shade of red as her friends looked at her curiously.

“Oh my god…”

\---

The thumping of the music penetrated the exterior walls of the bar. Outside the door, Maki was staring up at the sign.

“Umi, why are we at a bar named after a fruit.”

The sign simply had the kanji for ‘peach’, on it.

“Because it came highly recommended by on of Kotori’s employees.” Umi explained as she opened the door for her friends to go through. Instantly the three were hit with the loud music and the warmth from inside.

“And why did we even come to a bar?” Maki yelled over the music. The room was full of women talking, drinking, and dancing with one another. “This isn’t exactly somewhere we would come to hang out.”

“Kotori said to relax!” Umi leaned near Maki to say, though she still had to yell. “We are supposed to get her to loosen up.” She jabbed a thumb at Eli who was standing behind the two of them constantly checking her phone with a nervous expression.

“Can’t we do that somewhere else?”

“This is as good a place as any.” Umi shrugged. She turned to Eli and snapped to get her attention. When the blonde finally looked up, she gestured sharply in the direction of the bar for her to follow.

As they made their way to the bar, Maki could feel eyes upon all of them. Especially Umi, as she removed her jacket and placed it on the back of the bar chair. Her shirt rode up slightly, revealing her toned body. Maki thought she heard someone drop their cocktail glass. She took the chair on Umi’s left while Eli took the chair on her right. Maki took off her jacket and moved her hair over one shoulder. Maki wasn’t sure she liked the attention. And she was sure that Umi was flat out ignoring it while Eli didn’t even notice. Typical, she thought.

The bartender came up to the three of them and leaned on her arms on the bar. “Well, Hello, my pretties.” She winked. She was wearing quite a low cut top and Maki was quick to divert her eyes. The bartender was pretty hot but Maki was deeply involved. She tried to focus on getting to snuggle with Nico when she finally was able to go home.

“What can I get you ladies to drink?” The bartender asked as she looked between them. She licked her lips. Maki almost missed it.

“Milk, please.” Umi said firmly.  

“Umi, you dragged us to a BAR and you’re gonna order milk. What the fuck is wrong with you? What happened to ‘relaxing’?” Maki blinked.

“I’m driving. It would be irresponsible to consume alcohol.” Umi stated. “And besides I am very relaxed.” She said as she bobbed her head awkwardly to a song she clearly didn’t know.

“Oh my god, you’re an old lady.” Maki groaned and placed a hand to her forehead. “Amaretto Sour, please.”

“That’s full of sugar,” Umi scolded. “How can you even drink that? It’s liquid candy.”

“I like it,” Maki shrugged, handing the bartender her black card to start a tab. “Nico got me hooked on them.”

The bartender smiled and looked at Eli, who wasn’t paying attention. Umi nudged her shoulder.

“What?” Eli blinked looking at her friends.

“What do you want to drink?” Umi gestured to the waiting bartender.

“Oh, nothing for me.” Eli smiled, apologetically.

“Eli, you are here to relax so please do so.”

“But what if somethin---”

“She’ll have a vodka rocks.” Maki leaned forward and ordered for her friend. Eli frowned. “Make it a double.”

Maki glanced at the look that Eli was giving her. “Oh shut up. You’ll drink it and we both know it. At least you aren’t like grandma here.” She jerked her head at Umi.  “Milk. Honestly.”

“Milk is very nutritious. Does a body good.” Umi said as their drinks arrived a few minutes later. As she took a sip a woman slid up next to her at the bar. No, she _wedged_ herself between Umi and Maki very suddenly.

“I know something else that will do you body good,” the woman said, smirking suggestively.

Maki sighed and snatched the woman by the collar dragging her away from their personal space.

“She’s taken.” Maki said flatly.

Umi nodded, very flustered. Apparently, the woman has also placed a hand on Umi’s leg.

“Oh, c’mon, baby,” the woman said ignoring Maki and proceeding to place a hand on Umi’s thigh. “It’s just one night. You’re hot enough that I wouldn’t mind if you pretended that I’m your girlfriend.” She leaned in closer.

Umi stood up very suddenly almost knocking her chair and the woman over. “N-no thank you!” Umi said, looking around widely before heading to the bathroom.

The woman looked very startled before looking at Maki who now had her own drink. She sipped smugly. “Told ya.”

Slinking away, the woman shook her head. “Weirdos.”

“Don’t talk about your mother like that!” Maki yelled after her.

Eli was still staring at her phone, her drink untouched. Maki rolled her eyes and leaned over Umi’s empty seat. She snatched Eli’s phone from her and set in front of her glass. Eli looked very offended.

“Eli, you’re one of my dearest friends,” Maki yelled. “But I’m here, suffering on your behalf, ON MY DAY OFF, in order for you to have a good time. So, if you could at least drink your vodka and try to have a good time without worrying about your girlfriend I would appreciate it.”

Eli drooped in her seat. “I’m not that bad, am I?”

“You are _that bad_.” Maki nodded sternly. “You’re driving everyone insane and I’m pretty sure Nozomi would have smothered you in your sleep by now if she didn’t think it would deprive her child of basic needs and her other parent.”

“Wow,” Eli blinked. “That was harsh.”

Maki shrugged. “When have I ever sugar coated anything?”

“Fair point,” Eli said as she stared down her drink. “I just wanted to stay in tonight. Was that such a crime.”

“No,” Maki sighed. She held her drink in her hand and swirled it slowly. “I know that was what I wanted to do and we both know that bars are NOT Umi’s thing at all. She’s a homebody. She likes books and routines. This is neither.” She looked around at the loud bar.

“This isn’t my idea of fun either.” Eli picked up her drink. “Plus drinking would be a bad idea if there is an emergency.”

“Nozomi is in good hands. We’ve already been over this. What are you worried about?” Maki watched her friend as a myriad emotions went across her face. The question was apparently more complicated than she had imagined.

Eli picked up her double vodka and downed it instead of answering. “There. Happy?”

Maki blinked. She wondered what that was about.

“A bit,” She said, choosing to let the question wait until later to actually be answered. This clearly wasn’t the place for a heart to heart. “I am also impressed. You drank that like water. Did you learn that in the Russian mafia?” Maki smirked.

“Ugh,” Eli groaned. “Are you ever gonna let that go?”

“Nope. It’s too juicy.” She signalled for the bartender to get Eli another drink. She looked like she could use it.

“Remind me to ask Nozomi for dirt on you later,” she glared at her friend.

“You wouldn’t…” Maki narrower her gaze.

“I would.” Eli smirked and then thanked the bartender for her new drink.

“You are a ruthless rouski, Ayase.” Maki raised her glass in her direction. “But you have a truce.”

“Good,” Eli returned the toast and took another drink. “Cheers!”

The two women settled into a silence as they watched to room.

\---

“What is Umi’s deal anyhow?” Nico asked as she finished her third glass of wine. “Why didn’t she want to go out with the Soldier Game Trio?”

“She’s just stressed from working at the Dojo and working her other job in publishing. Her parents are getting older so she’s having taking on more responsibility there, especially since her older sister just has no interest in the family work.” Kotori explained as she opened another beer.

Nico took a seat on several pillows that had been laid out on the floor. “That explains a lot, actually, I knew she had been thinking about taking over the dojo full time. Did she make a decision on whether or not she was gonna bite the bullet?”

Kotori shook her head. “She’s still thinking about it. I told her I would support her in whatever she decided but it’s hard on her.”

“What do you think she’ll choose?” Nozomi asked.

“My guess is that she’ll take on the responsibility of her family,” Kotori sighed. “Which means she’ll have to quit her job as an editor full time but she knows how the Dojo runs and she’s very skilled in all of the things they teach. She’s an amazing archer and of course traditional dance she learned from her mom. I think she’ll do well. And once she isn’t trying to stretch herself between two jobs I think she’ll be much happier either way.”

“I bet. Maki’s grumpy from having only one job. I can’t imagine what it would be like if she had two.” Nico snorted derisively.

“To be fair, Maki-chan does work really long hours. Plus her parents own the hospital,” reasoned Hanayo. “That can’t be easy on her.”

“True,” Nico waved her off. “But she could still stand to be a little less tsundere. I was hoping we would leave that shit back in high school. It took her forever to confess to me after all.”

The group nodded in unanimous agreement. Nozomi placed a pillow behind her back and shifted onto the cushion until she found a comfortable spot once more. Hanayo handed her drink from the table when she was ready for it.

“So, now that you’re out from under the watchful eye of the Russian Mafia…” Kotori giggled as she took a sip of her beer.

“I still can’t believe she said that,” Nozomi shook her head. “She’s such a cartoon sometimes.”

“She’s a three quarters Japanese and one quarter russian woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. She’s taller than the average bear and can move with an inhuman amount of grace even though she was at the ‘bottom’ of her dance classes. _Of_ _course_ she’s a cartoon.” Nico snorted. “Genetics don’t work like that normally. She won the damn genetic lottery.”

“...How are you feeling, Nozomi-chan?” Kotori finished her question, knowing that if she didn’t interrupt Nico the smaller woman would keep ranting. It was Kotori’s opinion that she would ever be sore that Eli was so much taller than her.

“Large.” Nozomi chuckled, rubbing her stomach. “And tired. The little one’s been moving a lot lately, probably to compensate for me being on bedrest. But overall I feel good no new contractions. Doctor approved me to come off bedrest as long as I take it easy. It just a lot of work growing a human being inside you. And then I have to deal with Eli going into full protective mode all the time.”

“She’s just worried.” Hanayo countered. “But I can see how it might get annoying.” She glanced at the packet of emergency contacts Eli had left behind.

“Tell me about it,” Nozomi took a sip of her drink. She had opted for juice while the others had wine, though she did decide to drink it out of a wine glass to feel fancy. “Did you know the other day she actually offered to brush my teeth for me?” She laughed. “As if it would be too much strain on my body to move my arm and wrist up and down while cleaning my teeth.”

They all laughed.

“Blondie’s really is losing it, huh?” Nico snorted.

“Mmm, only a little bit. I think I’ve managed to make it clear that she isn’t helping by hovering over me every minute of every day. I think she’s just overreacting because she wants to plan every little thing out and she can’t. She’s gonna have to get used to that when the baby comes.”

“Can’t plan everything out then and expect it to all go according to how you imagine. Kids kind of do their own thing.” Hanayo commented, taking a sip from her own glass after finally having settled onto the floor near the couch.

“Definitely not.” Nico said, knowingly. “Back when Cotarou was little he didn’t want to do anything as planned. He’s a sweet kid but he definitely works on his own schedule.”

“How are the siblings, Nico-chan?” Kotori asked.

“They’re doing well. Cocoro just graduated from college. Which is crazy. Cocoa decided to try her luck dancing for a few years. She’s gone on a few auditions but she’s not been very lucky yet.” Nico said, then smiled. “But Cotarou got accepted into a great art program so he’ll start that soon.”

“They all seem pretty happy.” Hanayo smiled. She was filling a small plate with one of everything from the snack spread.

“They are. I’m proud of them all. They’re gonna come visit Maki and I after christmas, so I’ll get to see them when they stay with us. Maki’s a little nervous about it but I keep telling her she has nothing to worry about. They love her. They always have.” Nico smiled to herself.

“Maki-chan’s always been nervous around kids. But she always does well.” Nozomi commented. “She just needs to have more confidence in her interactions and she’ll be fine.”

“Yeah, try telling her that, though,” Nico said as she idly turned the glass around in her hands as she fidgeted. Nozomi sensed something else was behind that statement but she decided to wait until at least the group had had their second glass of wine to ask.

“What about you, Hanayo-chan?” Nozomi asked, turning to other woman. “How are things with the daycare?”

“We’ve had difficulty with enrollment numbers being down.” Hanayo admitted. “Things have slowed down a bit over the last few years due to the low birthrates. Honestly, it is the same thing that was happening with Otonokizaka. There just aren’t as many kids as there should be so some businesses are suffering when financially.” She took a bite of one of the rice balls she’d brought.

“That sucks. What’s your boss gonna do, then?” Nico asked, leaning over the tray of sweets, trying to decide which one she wanted.

“I’m not sure, but she’s told us not to worry about it just yet.” Hanayo looked thoughtful. “So, I’m just focusing on giving the same level of care to each child that I can. Hopefully, we’ll be able to draw more kids to enroll there. We’re rated highly among the parents who still use us, after all.”

“Say, why don’t you talk to Eli-chan about a marketing strategy?” Kotori nibbling on one of the sausages. Her face lit up as she tasted it. “Oooh, these are tasty, Nozomi-chan. What’s in the sauce?”

“Soy, ginger, garlic, little bit of pepper and chile oil. It’s simple. But effective. Oh, and some rice wine vinegar. I like the tanginess. I’ve been craving a lot of pickled things.” She chuckled as she sipped on her juice. “I thought Eli was gonna cry a few nights ago because all I wanted for dinner was a bowl of pickled plums. You know how she hates them. I thought she wasn’t gonna kiss me for several days after that, but they were very tasty.”

“Serves her right. Payback for all of her worrying.” Nico laughed.

“Nah, not payback. It’s just what I wanted to eat. And I can’t have fish until the little one decides to show up. So, I guess my taste buds are getting creative.” She shifted in her seat, turning to set her drink on the table near the couch arm. “I’ve also been craving spicy foods. The takeout place down the road has some great spicy chicken karaage so Eli’s been bringing that home.”

“Ugh, please tell me you don’t eat them both the pickled plums and karaage at once?” Nico made a face.

“No. Not _all_ the time.” Nozomi smirked. “But you really should try them, Nicocchi.”

“I think I’ll pass. I’m not disgusting like you.” Nico stuffed the rest of the pastry she’d been working on in her mouth.

“Now, now, Nico-chan,” Kotori chided. “Nozomi is eating for two. She can what she wants.”

“Yeah,” Hanayo added. “She can’t help it if she’s craving odd foods. All pregnant mothers go through the same thing.

“See, Nicocchi?” Nozomi smirked. “One day you’ll be in the same state that I’m in and you’ll understand.”

Nico choked on her drink as the others laughed.


	14. Chapter 14

When Umi finally returned from the bathroom, she scanned the area hesitantly.

“Is she gone?”

“Yes, Umi. The woman who was hitting on you is gone.” Maki said, finishing her drink. “But if that makes you uncomfortable, I suggest we find a different bar because…” She gestured around the room. “We’re like raw meat in a lion’s den.”

Maki was right. All eyes were upon the trio.

Umi shook her head as she realized the targets that had been painted on their backs from the moment they had walked into the place. “I get what you mean. I guess I underestimated the _risk_ of this facility. Let’s agree not to mention that little, um, moment to Kotori,” Umi cleared her throat. She didn’t even know why Kotori had passed along this place from her employee but even so she didn’t want to face her girlfriend with _those_ kinds of details. “You know how jealous she can get.”

“Jealous is an understatement,” Maki pursed her lips remembering a time during their idol days when a rabid fan had grabbed Umi and tried to kiss her. She had been certain that Kotori was going take off the girl’s head before Honoka had whisked both away from the scene and a potential prison sentence. “She’s a little crazy when it comes to you even though she knows that you’d never cheat on her. You’re too square to even think about it.”

“I’m not square,” Umi frowned deeply. “I am loyal. There is a difference.”

“Whatever you want to call it doesn’t matter. What matters is that we’re still a hot commodity and these women have no chill. Not much has changed since our idol days.” Maki smirked. She was proud of how she still looked even if she only wanted to look that way for the one person she loved.

“Soldier Game has still got game.” Eli waggled her eyebrows at the two of them before giggling loudly.

“Ok, how much has she had while I was gone?” Umi asked, the groan at Eli’s lame joke still lingering in her tone.

“She’s on her third,” Maki stated, an amused smile playing at the edge of her lips.

Umi’s eyebrows immediately shot into her hairline. “Third? I was only gone for ten minutes. How on earth can she drink that much in so little time?”

“No clue. Russian Mafia genetics, apparently.” This response earned a protest shout from Eli.

“Well, whatever it is I’m just surprised. And here I thought it would be like pulling teeth to get her to loosen up.” Umi mumbled.

“Same.” Maki admitted as she watched Eli. “But we should probably leave before she gets too loose. Can we at least go somewhere we might actually enjoy instead of getting treated like wagyu beef?”

The blonde seemed to have already forgotten her indignation and had begun eyeing the dance floor with increasing interest. Maki didn’t want to stick around for that because she knew that Eli never could deny a good beat and that once she got started it was nearly impossible to drag her away.

“I think we can arrange that.” Umi said, grabbing her coat quickly. She had no interest in staying for longer than she needed.

“Thank the gods.” Maki said as she signaled the bartender to tab her out.

Looking through the bottom of her glass as she drank the last of the vodka within, Eli found her attention drawn to the edge of the dance floor; a woman with long purple hair was standing, watching Eli with a mischievous smile. She raised her drink in Eli’s direction and Eli smiled like an idiot through the haze of the alcohol in her system. Umi looked over at her inebriated friend, the motion of Eli waving in a love-sick manner to the woman, catching her attention. Eli set her glass on the bar top and began sliding out of her chair to go talk to the woman but luckily Umi’s reflexes were quicker.

“No you don’t. It’s time to go, drunkie.” Umi grabbed the back of Eli shirt to keep her in place.

“But,” Eli hiccupped, pointing the direction of the dance floor. “Nozomi wants to dance.”

Umi rolled her eyes but kept her grip on Eli’s shirt. “That isn’t Nozomi. Nozomi is at home, remember?”

Eli looked confused for a moment and looked from Umi to the woman near the dance floor. She squinted at the woman who was now approaching them from across the crowded room and it slowly began to dawn on her the mistake that she had made. The pieces in Eli’s head clicked into place and she realized that she had been flirting was not her longtime girlfriend.

“Crap. Hide me. And don’t tell Nozomi. She’ll kill me.” She messily ducked her tall frame behind Umi for protection. It didn’t do much good but Eli was convinced it was working even if her ponytail was sticking out from behind Umi’s shoulder.

“It would serve you right if I did.”

“It looked like Nozomi,” Eli whined, not daring to look out from around Umi..  

“That’s the vodka talking, idiot.” Umi deadpanned. “I should leave you to the lions…”

“Please don't! Think about my unborn child!” Eli pleaded, sensing the woman still approaching.

“You’re hopeless.” Maki sighed as she finished leaving a generous tip. “Let’s just go before we attract any more unwanted attention.”

Maki grabbed her coat and downed the last of her drink as Umi and Eli made their way to the door. Maki wasn’t far behind them as she played a quick interference between Eli and the purple haired woman who was still approaching.

After a short ‘friendly’ conversation, Maki made her way outside of the bar, the cold air knocking the wind hitting her like a brick wall as she joined her two friends. Only Eli wasn’t shivering. That was likely the influence of the alcohol.

“Okay,” Umi said, now freed from being Eli’s hiding spot. She checked her watch. “What now? It’s only 8:30. Kotori will kill me if we come back so early and interrupt the party.”

“I’m not sure,” Maki said through chattering teeth. “But let’s hurry up and get to the car.”

“It’s not even cold,” Eli exclaimed as she skipped drunkenly alongside her friends. She was doing fine until a crack in the pavement and stumbled. Luckily Umi was there to catch her and set her upright again.

“Try and be careful,” Umi shrugged her coat closer around her. “Nozomi will kill me if I don’t bring you home in one piece too.”

“It’s ‘cause she loves me,” Eli giggled like an idiot.

“She does, yes.” Umi nodded as she dragged Eli to her car. “The gods know why.”

Maki snorted. “I can name at least two reasons...”

Eli giggled louder which only caused Umi to roll her eyes and shove Eli into the now open car door and into the back seat.

“Buckle up.” Umi closed the door and went over to the driver’s side and got into the car. She started the car quickly and buckled into her own seat.

“I think it’s gotten colder.” Maki said as she huddled into the shotgun seat. The heater to the car sprang into life after a few minutes and she was already warming her slender hands. “Nico-chan’s not going to like it.”

“I would say Kotori wasn’t either but I’m pretty sure she’ll have drunk the entire six pack of beer she brought with her so that will keep her warm...until we get home,” Umi winced.

“Sounds like someone is a handsy drunk,” Maki smirked.

“Let’s not talk about this.” Umi pursed her lips. She was desperately trying to keep the inevitable out of her mind. “So, where are we going?” She looked at Maki before using the rearview mirror to look at Eli, Umi saw that the blonde had sunk below eye level and was presumably laying on the seat.

“Another bar?” Maki suggested.

“More booze!” Eli cheered, her arms rising into view. But Umi shook her head.

“Sorry, Papachika, I think you’ve had enough so I’m going to veto that idea.”

The sound of Eli booing in disapproval flooded loudly over the backseat as her arms flopped back onto her chest.

“Coffee shop?” Umi offered as an alternative.

“Nah, they’ll all be full. You know how the college kids don’t like to share a table when they’re on their laptop.” Maki clicked her seatbelt into place.

“Where does one even go on a Friday night?” Umi asked. “We haven’t done this in so long.”

“And even when we did do it we weren’t that exciting. All of us were too focused on our grades.” Maki admitted.

“True.” Umi pursed her lips, still trying to rack her brain for a thought.

“Karaoke?” Maki suggested.

“No, the others would never forgive us if we went without them.” Umi scratched her head. “This used to be easier. Kotori usually makes our plans these days.”

“You’re whipped.”

“I’m practical.”

“Or both.”

“You’re both boring and old.” Eli whined, the alcohol stealing all mental filters from her as her last glass of the alcohol began to take hold of her system.

“You have no room to talk.” Maki snorted. “You’re the one who can’t stop making lists and hovering over your pregnant girlfriend.”

“I’m not that bad. I’m just trying to be prepared. It’s not easy, you know?” Eli’s voice dropped into a whisper. The silence that followed told Maki that she was probably frowning. She exchanged a look with Umi, who was shaking her head.

“Where do you want to go, Eli?” Umi asked gently, turning to look into the backseat. Eli was indeed frowning. She had wondered if the alcohol would bring a crash in their friend’s mood considering the stress she had been under.

She was staring at the ceiling of the car, deep in thought, not having heard what Umi had said.

“Eli?” Maki turned to look at her friend as well.

Eli blinked, her eyes looking damp. She turned her head to look at her friends. “Hmmm?”

“Where do you want to go?” Umi asked again. Her expression was lowkey worried.

Eli turned back to the ceiling. “I don’t know.” she inhaled deeply, her hand scratching idly at her stomach. “You two should pick.”

“Nope,” decided Maki. “It’s your ‘relaxation’ night. You get to pick.”

“Yeah, pick somewhere you want to go,” Umi added. “It can be anywhere you want to go that would...lift your spirits.”

Eli was quiet for another minute before her eyes went wide as an idea formed. She sat up so suddenly that Umi and Maki jumped away in the front seats.

“I know. I have just the place.” Eli declared.

“Where?” Umi raised an eyebrow at her friend. Maki seemed skeptical as well.

“It’s a surprise,” Eli smirked, reaching for her phone to begin pulling up an address. She showed it to Umi. “Just go here and all will be revealed, Umi-dah.”

“Don’t call me that...” Umi grumbled as she looked at the address. “It’s not another bar is it?”

“Nope. I promise.”

Umi exchanged a look with Maki before sighing. “Fine, but it better not be a joke.”

Eli crossed her heart with her hand as she took back her cell phone and began to fiddle with something on the screen.

“Bet she’s drunk texting...” Maki murmured to Umi as she watched her in the rearview.

“Probably. But that isn’t our concern. Fun is.” Umi deadpanned as she put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking lot like an old lady; slow and steady.

Maki snorted and went back to looking at her own phone.

\---

“I guess Elichi is having some fun,” Nozomi hummed in amusement at the message on her phone. She turned the screen around for the others to see.

“That’s a lot of typos, not to mention hearts and smiley faces,” Nico smirked. “And here I thought the banana didn’t know how to use emoji’s.”

“I think it’s sweet even with the typos.” Kotori smiled wistfully. “Umi-chan never sends me stuff like that. She says it’s too embarrassing.”

“Umi-chan has her own way of showing ya she cares,” Nozomi reassured her. “But I can’t deny that things like these are cute whenever Elichi does them. She’s always been affectionate but she gets more so when she’s been drinking. To think that when I met her she was such an ice queen.” Nozomi turned her phone screen back around so that she could reply, the rapid typing noises from her keyboard not going missed by her friends.

“I guess Umi-chan did her job then.” Kotori clapped happily. “At least she’s more relaxed.”

“Yeah, that’s something at least. Let’s just hope she isn’t trashed lest we have a bigger problem on our hands.” Nico said, finishing off her second glass of wine.

“She’ll be fine, I’m sure.” Nozomi commented as she sent off a message of her own.

“Hope so for your sake,” Nico said as she got up and went into the kitchen to fetch more wine. “You know she is a baby when it comes to hangovers. She likes to think that her Russian Genetics keep her from getting hungover but you and I both know she can be a light weight, Nozomi.”

“You don’t have to tell me that.” Nozomi set her phone to the side and went back to meticulously eating the snacks on her plate.

“Umi-chan is pretty bad too though don’t tell her I said anything. She really has little tolerance for pain even though she likes to play the brave warrior type.” Kotori giggled before finishing off her the remainder of the beer in her glass.

Nico watched her friends as she leaned against the counter. Nozomi, pregnant as all get out, lounging on the couch and full of smiles as she spent time with her friends. Kotori’s face and cheeks were tinged with red. She was looking happy and a bit tipsy herself, having out drank the rest of the women there by at least two glasses of beer. Of course, Nozomi was only drinking juice so she wasn’t really in the running, but that didn’t stop Kotori from being competitive in her own way. It was always like this when they got together. Nico chuckled into her glass as she drank. She wasn’t in a hurry to get smashed.

Bringing down the glass and topping it off again, she looked over at Hanayo who was engrossed in whatever was on her phone screen. The mousy woman hadn’t said anything in response to the last few topics and Nico knew that Hanayo was usually all about cute texts, considering how sickeningly sweet Rin’s texts to her usually were. Nico liked to think that she, herself, didn’t care about such things, that she didn’t need Maki to send her things like that but she thought it might be nice once in a while. But she shoved the thought out of her mind. As she walked over and sat near Hanayo.

“Hey, Hanayo, whatcha reading over there?” Nico asked, peering over her shoulder.

Surprised at being so suddenly addressed, Hanayo looked up from her phone, her face lighting up in embarrassment.

“Sorry!” she squeaked. “What did you say?”

“I asked what you were looking at---wait iS THAT THE PV FOR A-RISE’S NEW COLLABORATION WITH MIDNIGHT CATS???!” Nico quickly took the phone from Hanayo’s hands, scrolling with her thumbs to read the article.

The two girls crowded together and intently hovered over the phone, small squeals and gasps coming from Hanayo as Nico read aloud the details of the upcoming release.

Kotori tried to hide her giggles but failed spectacularly as she burst out laughing. Nozomi wasn’t far behind her. Hanayo and Nico looked up at them, their heads moving in unison to look incredulously at their laughing friends.

“Would you please keep it down?” Nico scowled at Kotori and then Nozomi. “This is serious business!”

“Y-yeah!” Hanayo nodded firmly, backing up Nico’s point. “We’ve been waiting six months for this single to come out. It’s a BIG deal. And besides with the pre-orders for the CD/Blu-ray combo you get a super cool A-RISE figurine set. Limited quantities too! We have to be on top of our game or we’ll miss out. The pre-orders start in five hours!”

Nico nodded again, Hanayo had taken her phone back and was rapidly typing something in, presumably checking on the status of the pre-order countdown.

“You two are so cute!” Kotori said, crawling behind the two and pulling them into a very friendly group hug. Hanayo squeaked loudly as the air was pushed out of her by Kotori’s strong grip.

“When the f--I mean heck,” Nico changed her curse word mid-sentence as she glanced over at Nozomi’s belly, the other woman was still laughing quietly. “When the _heck_ did you get so strong?” Nico gasped for air, trying to pull away from the inebriated Kotori.

“It’s more recent. Umi-chan’s been helping me in the gym with training. You like?” Kotori giggled again.

“Oooh, our little bird has been workin’ out!” Nozomi grinned. She felt a kick insider her stomach as the baby responded to the loud laughter, and rubbed the spot with her hand as she set aside the plate she had been previously balancing there. Speaking softly to the child in her stomach, the others missed the intimate moment as Nico continued to struggle against Kotori’s grip.

“I’d like it better if you didn’t try to kill me with it,” Nico harrumphed, finally breaking free, leaving Kotori to hang off of Hanayo and cuddle into her back. “Control yourself or I’m going to take away the last of your good beer.”

Kotori gasped and pouted. “You wouldn’t dare! Umi-chan bought those for me especially for tonight.”

“I doubt that.” Nico narrowed her eyes at the ashen haired woman. “We all know that she doesn’t like it when you overindulge.”

“Technically she did,” Kotori grinned mischievously as she laid her head in the crook of Hanayo’s shoulder, causing the mousy woman to freeze in place. “I used her credit card.” She giggled.

“That’s my girl,” Nozomi grinned and offered a long distance high five to Kotori who missed the gesture by a few seconds. “When indulging in something good, always use their money.”

“It’s the best!” Kotori exclaimed. Makes it taste better too.”

Hanayo was now trying to wriggle away from her as her quest to ignore Kotori’s closeness and follow the latest idol news. Her eyes went wide as she opened the tab to the next posting.

“Nico-chan!” Hanayo said as her voice reached a level that only dogs and other super extreme idol fans could hear. “They released the pictures of the costumes for the MV as WELL AS the ones for A-RISE’s upcoming mini-tour!!!”

“What?! Where?!” Nico scooted back close to Hanayo, forgetting about the Kotori cuddle trap that awaited her. When her eyes found the pictures, they sparkled with excitement.

“Ya two still really love idols, don’t ya?” Nozomi asked, smiling at them while still rubbing light circles on her stomach.

“Well, of course!” Hanayo smiled radiantly. “I’ve always loved them!”

“Yeah! Same here! Just because Nico could be a professional idol doesn’t mean that experience would sour her love of them!” Nico nodded as if her answer was obvious. “Idols make people happy. How can anyone not love them?”

“I just thought that after having to leave Muse behind and then how are lives are now, you might have grown out of them,” Nozomi reasoned. “I’m not judging either of ya. I love that about ya both: Your passion.”

Hanayo and Nico blushed at the compliment, not knowing exactly how to answer it. Luckily Kotori broke the silence as she stole the phone from them.

“Oh wow!!” Kotori’s eyes widened in surprise as she took in the fashions that A-RISE were wearing. “These costumes are much nicer than I remember them being. I mean, sure A-RISE were always on the cutting edge when we competed against them but this is a new level.” She looked at Nico. “Are they using professional designers now?”

Nico nodded. “They’ve been branching out with their style lately but with this MV they brought in a couture designer. You can see it in the ruffles and the silhouette,” Nico pointed out.

Kotori nodded intently, taking in the design of the dress. “It’s a good choice but if it had been me...”

Nozomi smiled as Kotori took over the conversation with her knowledge of fashion and sewing, the other two women hanging off her every word. Her heart was filled with warmth just getting to spend time with her lovely friends. The baby kicked once more in response to the happiness Nozomi was feeling and it made Nozomi chuckled softly.

“I know little one. I can’t wait for you to meet them either.”

\---

Umi put her car into park once she’d reached their destination. She looked at her GPS, checking it for the third time.

“Eli, are you sure this is the right place?” Umi asked as she looked out of the windshield at a two-story house. The place was very quaint with a small neat garden. The front of the one car garage and path leading up to the front door were well lit.

“Yep!” Eli said, cheerfully. She was already out of her seatbelt and opening her door.

“What?” Maki shivered as the heat from the interior of the car was sucked outside and a rush of cold air flooded over Umi and herself. “Oh my god, Eli, don’t tell me you’re one of those weirdos with two families who know nothing of each other?” Maki rushed to say.

Eli paused in the middle of getting out of the car. “What?” she blinked. “No, I, that’s ridiculous! I only have one family. Where would you even get an idea like that?”

Maki went wide eyed and turned away from them. She guessed the alcohol had lowered her filters to the level of ‘embarrassing’ after all.

“Nico watches a lot of reality show and dramas...” she mumbled. “First thing that came to mind. Sorry.”

Umi shook her head as she got out of the car. Maki followed suit, keeping her head ducked. She really needed to think before she spoke.

“Then whose house is it, Eli?” Umi asked, still uncertain of why Eli had brought them there.”

“It’s mine,” Eli shrugged, fumbling with her keys, trying to find the right one for the door.

“Since when do you own a house?”

“Since I signed the papers on it last month? Aha!” Eli said, sticking the right key into the lock. She opened the door and stumbled inside.

The lights came on one by one as Eli found the light switch. Maki closed the door behind them, glad to be out of the cold once more. Though the place wasn’t well heated like it would have been if people were living in it.

“You and Nozomi didn’t mention you had bought a house?” Maki looked around at the entrance and then the living room. It was a clean design, but cozy. Once there was furniture in the house it would be very homey, knowing Eli and Nozomi.

“Nozomi doesn’t know yet either,” Eli smiled softly as she made her way to the refrigerator in the kitchen, grabbing a bottle of vodka out from inside of it.

“You bought a house without consulting her?” Umi asked, looking around still.

“It was supposed to be a surprise.” Eli mumbled, pulling a glass out of a makeshift dish drainer and filling it with alcohol. “Want some?”

“No thanks,” Umi said, leaning against the kitchen island.

“This must have cost a pretty penny,” Maki whistled as she appraised the counter tops and the wood floors. “It’s a nice neighborhood too. Even I haven’t been able to talk NIco into something this nice and I have the money.”

“I had some savings and I couldn’t pass this place up when it went on the market,” Eli took another sip. “I was goin’ to show it to Nozomi after the baby shower but then everything happened. Haven’t found the right time yet especially with needing to take care of her getting better.”

“Mmm. Well, that does make sense.” Umi commented. “But I still don’t understand why we’re here.”

“Mmmm” Eli made a noise as she finished off her drink and poured another. “I wanted your help with something. C’mon.” She grabbed her drink and then went down the hallway, only stumbling slightly.

Umi followed, pulling Maki away from the closet she had been snooping in and tugging her along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no update, huh? Eh, it wasn't that long but it was a little bit. I know, I know. I'm gonna do better. I split this chapter up because it would have been really long by the time I finished the whole idea. But, this will sate your appetites for now, I hope. I've got a lot of projects going on so there may be delays in updates in the future but it shouldn't be too long. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone for still reading.


	15. Chapter 15

Before anyone in the little apartment knew what was going on, Kotori had pulled out a sketch pad from her bag and had begun drawing a set of idol outfits that rivaled the A-RISE ones Nico and Hanayo had just shown her.

“Wow,” Hanayo breathed, her eyes were full of admiration for what Kotori had created. “I wish you had been at this level when we were still in Muse. I mean, not that you weren’t great...I mean, you WERE great, you were awesome and very talented and oh!!” Hanayo bumbled, trying to backpedal because she thought she had insulted Kotori.

Kotori grinned. “It’s okay, Hanayo-chan. I know what you me. And honestly, me too. I could have done a lot more back then if I’d know more but I think we still looked pretty good.”

“Well, of course we looked good! You had Nico-Nii on your team.”

“We did but just think about it’s be like to wear these now?” Kotori’s eyes sparkled behind the light sheen from the alcohol. “Sometimes I miss the old idol days.”

“Well, I’m pretty sure I’d look ridiculous in some of those short skirts and midriff tops.” Nozomi snickered. “A pregnant idol would not appeal to any of our fans. Heck, I can barely find clothing that fits me right now. And all of the maternity stuff in stores is just...”

“Ugly.”

“Awful.”

“Tragic.”

Another round of laughter filled the small room.

“Oh, oh. I need to stop laughing this hard,” Nozomi wiped a tear from her eye with one hand, while holding the side of her stomach with the other. She turned in her seat and wriggled carefully to the front of the couch, her legs bouncing one right after the other as she carefully worked her way out of her seated position.

“You know, you could have asked me to make you some nicer maternity clothing, Nozomi-chan. What’s in the stores really is a travesty. I’d be happy to help.” Kotori offered.

“Ya’ve already made so much stuff for the baby, I’d hate to put ya out by dressing me large body as well,” Nozomi demurred as she finally reached a position on the edge of her seat, her feet on the ground once more.

“Nonsense. I’ve never designed maternity wear before so it will be a fun challenge.”

“I don’t know. I mean I wouldn’t want to--”

“Just let her make you some clothes,” chided Nico. “Let your friends do something for you once in awhile without begin so damn modest.”

Nozomi chewed on her bottom lip, hesitating on whether or not she should accept. She really didn’t want to burden her friend. Old habits still caught up with her from time to time. “Well, okay, but don’t go crazy and put yourself out for my sake. I’ve only got about a month left then hopefully I can go back to some of my normal clothing.”

“Deal!” Kotori clapped happily. “You’ll be the prettiest mom at lamaze class when I get done with you.”

“It’ll definitely be better than being associated with Eli the bumbling banana like the first time you went to the class,” Nico snickered. “When she started breathing as if she was going into labor herself.”

“That’s not nice. I’m sure Eli-chan was just nervous.” Hanayo objected. “It’s not like she’s done this before.”

“Yeah, but she really is a dummy sometimes. You have to admit. She’s supposed to be the cool and composed one but she’s a bumbling idiot.” Nico continued through her laughter.

“That’s my Eli.” Nozomi smiled happily into her hands and shook her head, repressing a laugh.“Don’t bring up lamaze class. It just makes me think of her face when she’s concentrating too hard and it’ll just make me want to laugh even more. I already have to pee again.”

“You always have to pee.” Nico gathered the empty dishes from the coffee table and took them into the kitchen.

Nozomi used the arm of the couch to push herself awkwardly into a standing position, her knees bent. “That’s very true, but it’s a part of the deal. You’ll understand one day, Niccochi.”

“Doubt that.” Nico mumbled to herself as she rinsed the plates in the sink. It was just loud enough for her friends to hear the hint of bitterness that had crept into her voice.

Nozomi shared a look with the others. Hanayo shrugged, clearly not knowing.

Kotori opened another beer, pouring it into her glass. “Someone’s got a sore spot...” she hummed. Nico didn’t hear the comment over the noise of the

“I’ll be right back.” Nozomi said as she went off to the bathroom.

\---

“Part A goes into the end of Part C but then you’ll need to connect Part F and uses the screws from diagram...five.”

The Maki and Umi sat in the middle of the small bedroom attempting to decipher the instructions for a baby crib. The room was big enough for a small child but it had the added benefit of a sliding door leading to the master bedroom. It had been an hour already and the women were having little luck in the assembly process. Maki was manning the paper instructions while Umi attempted to piece things together. Eli, on the other hand, had busied herself with putting the finishing touches on a mural on the main wall.

It was clear that Eli had been working on the room on and off for quite some time, the nursery walls were painted a soft but sunny butter yellow and the wall she was currently working on held a large sakura tree in full bloom that was sixty percent complete in being painted. Eli was standing on a low rung of a ladder, using a small brush to paint each of the delicate flowers onto the branches.

“It looks lovely, Eli, but I’m surprised you found time to paint it.” Umi admitted as she jammed the joint of the support bar into the end piece of the crib.

“It was just a little time here and there.” Eli changed out her brush for one with white paint. “Sometimes I tell Nozomi I’m working late at the office in order to come here and work on it. Just gotta make sure to shower before I head home so I don’t smell like paint. Nozomi’s nose has been more sensitive lately.”

“I’m surprised she hasn’t suspected anything,” Maki rotated the instructions, looking at them with a confused face. She really wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing. She’d rather save her talents for performing surgeries. “She’s usually one step ahead of everything. I remember not being able to keep a secret from her in high school. Never thought it would be any different as she got old.”

“To be fair she has been distracted and I think she was happy I was working late a few of those days. It got me out of her hair,” Eli frowned as she tried to concentrate on the flower she was painting instead of the thoughts in her head.

“I’m sure that’s not true.” Umi had moved on to installing a few screws. The screwdriver was having trouble fitting at the angle she needed it to be at but she was managing. The wood frame squeaked slightly when she applied too much pressure.

Eli shrugged and leaned back to take in mural she was working on. She reached for her drink that she had set on the top of the ladder and brought it to her lips, the vodka’s taste had dulled significantly over the course of the night.

Maki handed Umi another piece of the crib they were attempting to assemble. “This goes into Part F, on the..bottom...” She doubled checked the instructions and set them aside to pick up a section of her own to work on.

The piece that Umi had been trying to add onto the railing slipped and jammed into her thumb. Umi cursed quietly and rubbed her hand. “Why aren’t these instructions more clear?” She grumbled, still managing to keep her cool. She looked at Maki. “I mean, it’s a crib. It shouldn’t be this hard. Are you sure you’re reading those correctly?”

“Yes,” Maki growled. “It’s not my fault it doesn’t make any sense.”

Umi rolled her eyes. “Fine, let me see the instructions and see if I can’t figure them out.”

Maki shrugged and tossed the paper in Umi’s direction, missing her by a few feet. Umi shook her head and crawled over to grab the instructions and began to look over them.

Eli leaned on the ladder, having finished her drink. She watched her friends with a warm feeling in her chest, but it diminished quickly as the guilt of her inadequacy began to settle in. She hadn’t been able to assemble the crib herself and she should have been able to, that fact made her angry. She gripped the glass in her hand tightly.

“Eli? You ok?” Maki’s voice broke into her thoughts.

Eli looked up, her eyes were stinging from pent up emotion. She’d been feeling overwhelmed for weeks but had been too busy to let herself give in to that pressure. She was as stubborn as she had ever been. Even her sleep was dreamless as she avoided everything, fearing she could not handle it. She nodded in response to Maki and turned back to work on the wall once more.

Umi exchanged a look with Maki.

“So, when do you plan to tell Nozomi about the house?” Umi asked.

“When..” Eli swallowed, keeping her voice in check as she painted on a pink petal. “..when I’m done with the nursery. That’s why I wanted your help. I’ve already finished with the master bedroom. The rest we can sort out as a couple, she’ll like that since her sense of decorating is a little different than mine and she enjoys picking out fun things.”

“Good plan.”

“I think she’ll like it.”

Her friends encouraged her as they made headway in constructing the crib. It seemed to be getting easier.

There was another small pocket of silence.

“Nozomi’s getting close to being due. What’s your plan for delivery?” Leave it to Dr. Maki to ask the more official questions.

Eli’s shoulders tensed at the question before she willed herself to relax. Umi was beginning to catch on to the problem her senior was having.

“Nozomi had wanted a home birth in the beginning,” Eli smiled, despite her tension. “But after the premature labor issues both our midwife and our doctor said it wasn’t a good idea. Nozomi was a little heartbroken but I think she understands.”

“I agree with the doctor, being one myself,” Maki smiled. She’d finished putting together the railing and set it aside.

“Same here. But it’s only one of the many things that haven’t worked out in our favor.” Eli’s smile became downcast. She dropped her paintbrush into her empty vodka glass, the sound of it’s handle giving a sharp ‘tink’ as it settled. “And I know Nozomi was wanting as natural of a childbirth as possible.”

“Nothing works out in anyone’s favor all the time, though.” Umi reasoned. “She understands because she doesn’t want to put the child at risk.”

Eli nodded. “Yeah, she does. She’s taking all of it rather well on the surface but sometimes I worry.”

“You worry all the time,” Maki pointed out. Umi shot Maki a glare which only caused her to shrug. “What? She does.”

Sighing, Eli made her way down the ladder before walking out of the room. Even she couldn’t deny that Maki was right.

“What else hasn’t worked out?” Umi called after her, looking worried. “Maybe we can help with some of it.”

A loud laugh of doubt came from the kitchen right before the sound of the refrigerator door could be heard opening and closing.

“Well, unless you can undo years of shitty behavior on her parents part, then I’m not sure any of it will help,” Eli said, her voice nearing the room once more.

“We all know that’s impossible,” Maki huffed, giving up on the piece of the crib that she was trying to put together and leaning her back against the wall.

“Have they still been calling?” Umi asked. She hadn’t yet given up on her own part of the crib but she was known to be pretty stubborn.

“Nope, not a peep.” Eli rounded the corner back into the room, the whole bottle of vodka now pressed to her lips as she chugged.

“Maybe you’ve had enough...” Umi suggested. But Eli pretended she didn’t hear her as she continued to drain the bottle. She relished the feeling as it burned its way down her throat.

“Incredible.” Maki shook her head.

Eli tore the bottle away from her mouth and inhaled deeply. “Incredible? You wanna know what’s incredible?” Eli scowled, gesturing widely with the bottle, it’s contents sloshing. “It’s the fact that I can’t give Nozomi exactly what she wants. I can’t fix her family. I can’t make her parents suddenly be decent people and on top of it I even yelled at them and told them to stay away!”

“But they were causing harm, you were only doing what’s--” Umi tried to reason but Eli had slipped into one of her impossible moods and to make it worse there were tears collecting at the edge of the blonde’s eyes, just waiting to fall.

“No, it’s my fault. Maybe if I hadn’t yelled at them we might have been able to find a solution. It basically a month until the baby is to be born and Nozomi can’t even talk to her parents let alone do what every other woman giving birth in Japan does and that’s go home to be with her parents before the birth.”

“Is Nozomi mad about it? Did Nozomi say something about it being your fault?”

“No, Maki, but I can see it in her eyes when she thinks I’m not looking. She’s sad. She’s missing that part of the experience and she deserves to have it. She’s always been more traditional when it comes to these things and giving birth at her family home would have meant so, so much to her.” Eli hiccupped. She slouched looking defeated. “We knew that she couldn’t do it at her natal home. They’ve moved around too much for that. But I think deep down she had hoped for acceptance from her family in the end and now she won’t have it.”

Eli’s had sunk to the ground, her face in her hands. The bottle of vodka discarded to the side and she gave into her tears.

Umi and Maki felt they were at a loss. It wasn’t often that Eli broke down in front of them like this. But between the built up stress and the alcohol it wasn’t surprising that it had happened.

“Eli,” Umi set down the furniture pieces she was working on. She wasn’t making progress anyhow. “That isn’t your fault. It’s theirs for being so..”

“Awful.” Maki interjected, taking the opportunity to steal the vodka bottle away and hide it.

“Yes, awful.” Umi nodded. “You did what you thought was right and protected Nozomi from them. It was honorable. Nozomi knows this and understands it. She knows that not everything in life is perfect. If it were then there would have been no reason for Muse to form in the first place and none of us would have met since the school would never have been on the verge of closing down.”

“She’s right. And if Nozomi hadn’t had to move so much you two never would have met each other. You never would have connected.” Maki said. “You have each other because of that. The past hurts. Things aren’t perfect but even though it hurts when the bad moments creep in you love each other and that will get you through it.”

“But what if it isn’t enough?” Eli’s asked, her voice breaking from the crying and extremely quiet, as if she was afraid to ask the question that had been plaguing her. “What if _I’m_ not enough?”

“Of course you’re enough,” Umi was taken aback. Eli had always been someone who gave more than she got. “Nozomi loves you. Why would you doubt if you’re enough?”

“Because...well, look at me?” Eli raged in the middle of her tears. “I’m a mess. I’m awkward and emotional though I try to hide it. I can’t help but worry too much, everyone thinks so. I cry when I shouldn’t. And I even heard Nozomi on the phone talking about how I was hovering the other day when she thought I was napping.”

Maki frowned. “You were hovering but at the same time, you’re really not giving yourself enough credit for everything else you do.”

“What credit is there to give? I’m a workaholic who isn’t even sure if she’ll be able to properly provide for her family.”

“But you bought this house and you’ve laid out all of these plans. You are way ahead of any of the rest of us.” Umi stood up, dusting herself off. “None of us have even gotten this far. Though, it is unsurprising since you and Nozomi are the oldest amongst our friends.”

“Being the oldest doesn’t make me good at it. What if something happens with my job? What if some ignorant person decides that the quality of my work means nothing because I’m having a child with the woman I love and decides to fire me?”

“That is a risk,” Umi frowned. “But that’s something you can’t control. You just have to do your best for yourself, Nozomi and your child.”

“And then there is the baby.” Eli sniffled, head laid on the top of her arms, her knees tucked to her chest. “Will I even be a good parent? Nozomi’s always saying I act childish but what if I can’t take care of either of them? What if I’m no good at it? What if our child hates me?”

“Eli, all new parents worry about those sorts of things.” Maki said. “And I’ve never met a person who hated you. So, I doubt your child will.”

“Nozomi’s parents hate me.”

“That’s different.”

“Only slightly.”

“You’re not gonna yell at the child about being Russian mafia, Eli. That’s just silly.” Umi chided.

“But what if I did something horrible like that? What if I get too angry too quickly or I just fail at it. We all know Nozomi will be an amazing parent. I’m the variable here. I don’t want her to have to pick up my mess.”

“Even if you did make a mess, I doubt Nozomi would mind helping you out. That’s what she’s there for.” Umi knelt down in front of Eli and placed a hand on her shoulder. “You’ll learn as you go. That’s life, isn’t it? You make mistakes but if you work to fix them and be better then you will become better. Besides, I think all of this self-doubt is more the alcohol talking than Eli Ayase talking.”

“Umi’s right. The alcohol isn’t helping any of this. You’ve done so much for Nozomi already. There isn’t a selfish bone in your body - unless it comes to chocolate.” Maki smirked. Eli pouted. Maki rolled her eyes. “What I’m trying to say is that you love Nozomi and I know you love that baby more than yourself even if you haven’t officially met her yet. I can see it in everything you’ve done. How long have you been working on this baby room so that it is just right?”

“The better part of a month.” Eli sniffled again.

“See? That’s not nothing.” Maki threw her arms up in the air, frustrated by Eli’s denseness. “You’re going to be fine. You’ve already put your all into it and when the baby arrives she’ll be showered with love from the two of you that is more sugary sweet than that cotton candy Nico-chan made me buy at the fair that one time.”

“What Maki’s trying to say,” Umi smiled gently at Eli who was starting to feel a little better. “Is that you’ll be an excellent parent. Don’t doubt that. And if you do, just lean on us and we’ll help you. Nozomi is happy and she loves you. She wouldn’t have had a child with you if she didn’t trust you with everything. You’ve been looking forward to the birth so don’t lose faith now.”

Eli nodded, swallowing the last of her tears. She inhaled deeply. “I won’t. Thank you. Both.”

Maki shrugged, but she blushed lightly. “Anytime. Now, let’s finish this project. I wanna get home sometime tonight.”

“Okay.” Eli pushed up from the floor to a standing position. She wobbled and almost fell, but Umi caught her.

“And no more vodka tonight, either.” Umi ordered. “Nozomi’s gonna have her hands full with your hangover already we don’t need you to be in a complete human puddle when we bring you home. So, let’s cheer you up and put together this crib.”

\---

When Nozomi had returned, the women had moved onto dessert, cheesecake to be exact. This had been no surprise since Kotori had been in charge of dessert. They’d all come to expect it whenever they got together.

“Delicious as always, Kotori-chan!” Hanayo complimented through a mouthful of cheesecake.

“Thank you! I tried something a little different this time. I added a little lemon along with the strawberry.” Kotori licked the remainder of the cheesecake off her fork. “Luckily I had today and tomorrow off from the shop so I could bake it. I even made macarons for Umi-chan. She seemed to like them.” She smiled happily.

“Quite the little homemaker there, Kotori-chan,” Nozomi had taken a second piece of cheesecake and was adding sliced anchovies and pickled plums to it - much to the dismay of Nico and the others who were now watching her.

“Ugh! How can you eat that?” Nico scowled, tucking her plate of cheesecake as far away from Nozomi’s as she could get.

“Like this!” Nozomi jammed a spoonful of the concoction into her watering mouth and began to chew. “Dwlicious!”

Kotori started laughing again, unphased by the sight. Hanayo didn’t say anything either, she thought it might be rude even if she was grossed out.

Nico tried to look away and eat her own cheesecake but her attention was pulled back when Nozomi started the conversation again.

“But back to the topic at hand. Kotori-chan is a certainly a little homemaker even with her design business. I know for a fact that Nicocchi is very adept at taking care of others and can cook like no one else I know,” She said gesturing to each woman with her fork. “And Hanayo-chan is motherly and an is fantastic with children. I wanna know when you’re all going to join the expectant mothers club?”

It was like a bomb had gone off in the room. Nico choked on the bite she had taken and Kotori had to slap her on the back to save her life. The question was sudden but in hindsight she probably should have seen it coming.

“What the hell, tits?!” Nico coughed, reaching for her drink. “You don’t just ask that.”

“Sure ya do.” Nozomi smirked. “I just did. So, spill. Who wants to go first?”

She looked between each of them, her gaze settled on poor Hanayo who immediately turned a bright shade of red and her movements becoming flustered.

“Well, it’s not like I don’t want kids...” her hands began to rattle as she held her plate, prompting her to set it down. “It’s just embarrassing to bring it up.”

“It’s not embarrassing, Hanayo-chan.” Kotori leaned into her, gently. “You’ve been together with Rin-chan long enough that it shouldn’t be. You’ve known each other since childhood. Didn’t you two ever talk about things like that when you were kids?”

Hanayo nodded. She had begun to calm down a bit from the warm pressure of Kotori’s indirect hug. “We did a long time ago but things are different when you’re an adult. I mean, are we in the right place in our lives? Are we ready? Is Rin-chan ready to take on that responsibility. And on top of that, Rin really wants to focus on her photography more. I can’t ask her to put that on hold just because I might want a baby.” She sighed, closing her eyes lightly.

Nozomi smiled gently at Hanayo. She understood Hanayo’s fears completely, she’d had many of them herself. “It’s okay, Hanayo-chan. Just talk to her about it. You’ll know when you’re both ready. Just being open and honest will help.”

Hanayo nodded. “I’ll do my best. I’ll try and talk with Rin when she gets back tomorrow...Maybe.”

“That-a-girl.” Kotori squeezed Hanayo hand before she sat back. She reached for her glass only to find that it was empty. Immediately she pouted, leaning on her hand as she stared at the empty glass.

“What about you Kotori-chan? What’s your excuse? I assume it has something to do with Umi-chan.” Nozomi continued with her inquiries.

Kotori’s expression was wistful, not looking at anything or anyone in particular. “Sort of. I want kids. I’ve told Umi-chan that, but she has reservations even if she says she wants them. She’s a planner and likes to have everything mapped out. She’s too much like Eli-chan in that way but sometimes worse due to her strict upbringing. Throw in the decision she’s had to make on sacrificing her publishing career for her family’s dojo then it gets complicated. She wants things to be orderly, and I can’t blame her. But a child complicates that.”

“I get that.” Nozomi said. Hanayo nodded in agreement. “But ya can’t plan life like that or you’ll miss it.”

“Yeah, that’s what I said but she is still unsure. And then there is Honoka-chan.” Kotori sighed. “I love her, she is one of my dearest friends but as long as she is staying in our guest house Umi-chan’s not gonna even entertain the idea any further. As much as she stresses about her behavior, she wants to make sure Honoka-chan is taken care of and on her feet again. It’s like Honoka-chan is already our daughter. Which is fine, but that means until she leaves the roost I’m gonna be baby-less.”

“Have you talked to Honoka-chan about it?” Hanayo asked, picking the last of the cheesecake crumbs off of her plate. “That might help. Explain the situation to her.”

Kotori shook her head. “It would feel too much like I was kicking her out. Which isn’t necessarily what I want. I just want Umi-chan to be able to relax. Honoka-chan is part of our family too but I want a new addition to our family too. But like I said, it isn’t on the table unless I can convince Umi-chan that things will work out even if everything isn’t completely scheduled. She’s convinced that there will be a perfect moment that will reveal itself to her but I think we just need to jump in with both feet. That’s how we got Muse, after all.” She smiled. “I thought about turning on the waterworks but that would probably be unfair to Umi-chan. She can’t stand it when I cry. At least my business is settled enough in place that I can design from home and send off things to my employees to create them at the shop.”

“That’s me with Rin-chan,” Nozomi nodded. “She was at the perfect place to step out of her apprenticeship and become a full fledged associate. That’s half of the reason I decided it was time.”

“What’s the other half?” Hanayo tilted her head in question. Kotori decided to open a new beer.

“I couldn’t wait any longer to start a family with my Elichi.” She smiled softly. Her hand instinctively coming to rest on her stomach. “I wanted my own family. I knew Eli wasn’t going anywhere. It felt safe. It was time.”

“That’s so sweet.” A teary eyed Hanayo murmured. “You’ve always had the best relationship.”

“That’s not true. Ya all have special relationships that are wonderful in their own ways. Never doubt that.” Nozomi shifted a bit to set down the now very clean dessert plate on the side table.

“Oh, that reminds me! I brought something with me!” Kotori exclaimed and wobbled a bit as she used the nearby wall to help her stand. She almost fell but there was never a chance of spilling her beer. She was a pro, afterall. Making it to her bag with little to no trouble, she started digging inside of it.

“What is it?” Nico asked. She’d refilled her glass of wine - twice - while Kotori had been talking.

“It’s a baby book!” Kotori grinned, producing a medium sized scrapbook, swatches of paper and fabric sticking out from the folds of the paper of the closed book. It seemed like it was far too brightly colored even for Nico’s tastes.

Nico’s eyes went wide. “When did you make that?”

Kotori sat down next to Nozomi, opening the book to the first page. It was filled with sample crib styles and bedding choices. An array of colors met her eyes as Kotori pointed them out.

“Not that long ago.” Kotori deflected.

“Bullshit.” Nico narrowed her gaze as she got up to come over to look at the book. She noticed that there were tabs sticking out from the top of the book, one with each of their names on it. “Oh my god. You’re insane. When did you really make that?”

“No, just prepared. And I’ve been collecting a few things over the years.” Kotori turned to Nozomi and Eli’s page.

“How long?” Nico asked again. Hanayo nodded, clearly wanting to know the answer as well.

“....just since my senior year of high school...”

“...Oh my god...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Eli. :(  
> Poor Nico. ;)  
> Kotori and that damned baby book. LMAO. 
> 
> The last round of adventures in domestic life for the 'wives' and 'husbands' is coming next chapter. LMAO. I do like writing both of these sets together. I hope you're enjoying these chapters. 
> 
> Wanna talk or just follow me on Tumblr? Come see me! icaruswings87.tumblr.com


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A wild story update appears!! 
> 
> I went over it for errors but you never know what I might miss. But regardless I hope you enjoy the new chapter.
> 
> This story arc is pretty much done. After the next chapter we head into the final story arc. Are ya ready? 
> 
> Let me know in the comments how you like the story up until this point.
> 
> Thank you to everyone for reading and supporting this story!  
> \---

After another hour and a half had ticked on, Eli’s sobriety waned more and more. Due to her reckless movements and obviously blurred vision, Maki and Umi had determined that she was completely useless to the task they were attempting to complete. As a result that had banned her from handling any the pieces and banned her to a more simple task that didn’t involve screws or paints. But luckily for the trio they only had one more piece to slide into place.

 

Umi and Maki gripped both sides of the front rail and carefully slide it into place with a loud ‘click’.

“There,” Umi stood back, appraising their work. “We’re finally done.”

“Oh thank god.” Maki whispered, wiping her hands off on her designer jeans.

“Wooooohooooo!!” Cheered Eli as she stumbled forward.

“Yes, woohoo, indeed.” Umi chuckled. She couldn’t help feeling proud of their accomplishment. “But this little project has made us late in getting back. So we should probably wrap it up.

“But hey,” hiccupped Eli. She gestured proudly to the baby crib. “We managed to put it together! That’s worth being late, right? We totally showed this crib who is boss. Nothing can be withstand the ingenuity of the Soldier Game Trio!”

**_*SCHUNK!*_ **

“And Rin!”

Eli nodded firmly. “Well of course, how could I forget Rin---Wait, what?”

The nursery window had been ripped open and Rin’s head had come jutting through the opening like a ginger jack-in-the-box.

Umi, Eli, and Maki jumped away from the window, startled by the sudden appearance of someone. Eli let out a shrill scream and fell over onto the floor. Maki was look severely annoyed at almost being scared to death.

“RIN!!” Maki yelled as she clenched her fists and tried to get her heartbeat back to a normal pace.

Rin scrambled over the window sill and into the room. She was wearing a backpack and had a large grin plastered on her face.

“MAKI-CHAN!” she replied just as loudly, thinking that Maki was just really excited to see her. She had missed the annoyed look on both Maki and Umi’s faces.

“Rin, you don’t just climb through people’s windows!” Maki scolded, feeling only slightly calmer.

“I tried knocking on the door!” Rin said defensively. “No one answered! But I saw Umi-chan’s car so I knew you were here. I just came around the side of the house until I found the room your were in and opened the window. You should really get some curtains put up, Eli-chan. People can see inside the whole place.”

“I gathered that,” murmured a very unstable Eli as she struggled to get back onto her feet. “I’ll put it on the list.”

Umi strode over and helped Eli to stand. The blonde continued to lean on her as she steadied herself.

“What are you doing here?” Maki asked Rin.

“And how did you find this place?” Umi sharply raised one of her eyebrows as she began her interrogation. “We didn’t even know we were coming here so how did you know where to go? It could have been a stranger’s house. Then what would you have done?”

“But it wasn’t a stranger’s house, nya.” Rin said, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. “It was Eli-chan’s place. She gave me the address and everything!”

Umi and Maki exchanged a look before staring incredulously at Eli.

“What?” Eli blinked.

“When did you text Rin the address?” Umi asked, letting Eli stand on her own.

“I...don’t remember?” Eli looked sheepishly at her before turning to Rin in search of answers.

Rin held up her phone. “About an hour and a half ago!” She said proudly as she provided the evidence. “I texted Eli-chan to say that I was heading back early tonight and that I picked up the thing that she asked me to pick up for her. So, she told me to go ahead and bring it here because you guys were gonna be hanging out, nya.”

“Oh right. I did.” Eli hiccuped, looking excited all of a sudden. “Where is it?”

“Right here, nya!” Rin swung her backpack around and unzipped it. Reaching inside, she pulled out a cardboard box the size of softball. “The man at the store said that they checked it for quality when they got it in from their specialist but then they repacked it for you since it would be traveling with me. Said something about how I looked ‘reckless’.”

“That’s an understatement.” Maki muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Umi went over to close the window. The cold from outside was starting to flood the room.

“That store was a little snobby to be honest, Eli-chan. Why did you pick them?” Rin continued.

“They do good work,” Eli shrugged, taking the box and beginning to pry open the tape with her finger nails. “And I wanted the best I could get. Plus, I got to customize it. Sorry they were weird about you picking it up.”

“Nyat a problem. I was happy to help! But now I wanna see!” Rin rushed over to Eli’s side as she unwrapped the object inside from the bubble wrap that had been carefully placed around it.

She lifted out a small, black velvet covered box. Eli’s hands shook slightly as she turned it over.

Everyone’s eyes went wide at the sight of the box.

“Eli...” Umi murmured.

“You didn’t...” Maki added.

“Nyeah!!!” Rin punched the air excitedly. “It’s finally happening.”

Eli’s face split into a lopsided grin. “It is.” she breathed happily. She opened the box and the four women smiled brightly as the object caught the light.

Umi clapped Eli on the back. “When are you gonna do it?” she asked.

“Soon.” Eli nodded, sounding determined. “It’s been a long time coming.”

“But weren’t you worried about going through with it in case you faced discrimination at your job?” Maki voiced her concern even though she was truly happy for her friends.

“I am still worried about that, to be honest. But I think if I’ve learned anything lately, especially after you’ve talked with me tonight, it is that I need to stop sweating the small stuff so much. I’ll make it work. I owe that much to Nozomi.” Eli shut the little box and placed it back in its protective wrapping.

“Nozomi-chan’s gonna love it!” Rin beamed at her. “But ya better leave it here or she might find it in your apartment.”

“Good idea.” Eli agreed and went to place the box in the nearby closet.

Umi checked her watch. “I hate to break up the party but we really should head home now. It’ll be almost midnight by the time we make the drive back and Kotori will be wondering why I’m late.”

Umi’s phone buzzed. “Speaking of Kotori---”

Umi’s stopped mid sentence as the color in her face drained a bit.

“You okay there, Umi?” Maki nudged her. Umi clicked her phone screen shut.

“I’m...” Umi took a deep breath. “I’ll be fine.”

“Ok...then what’s wrong?” Maki probbed. “Kotori have some bad news for you?”

“Yeah, you look like someone just burned all of your song lyrics.” Rin added.

Umi frowned at them both before staring off into the distance. “It wasn’t Kotori. It was Honoka letting me know that

“And that’s a bad thing because...?” Eli slurred.

“It’s always a rough morning for me the next day if Honoka stays with one of her ‘friends’.”

Maki snorted and Eli started giggling furiously. After a moment, Rin caught on to what Umi was implying and burst into laughter.

“You mean...?” Rin asked, through tears.

Umi nodded solemnly.

“Well, Kotori’s been drinking tonight maybe she won’t notice. You could always just not tell her, you know.” Maki added. “Save yourself a limp tomorrow.”

“If only it were that simple.” Umi glared at Maki.

“The message went to both of us via our group chat for house communications and reminders.” Umi shut her eyes tightly. “There’s no getting out of this one. Kotori can be...eager on normal nights but if Honoka isn’t there, let’s just say things get...”

“Rough?” Eli smriked.

“Vocal?” Maki offered.

“Out of hand.” Umi grimaced. “And she’s been drinking tonight so let’s just say it is tenfold..”

“I’ll pray for you,” Maki offered in mock sympathy.

Cheer up, Umi!” Eli beamed and slapped Umi on the back. “We accomplished something tonight. I couldn’t have done it without you all. Even you Rin!”

Eli ruffled Rin’s hair before walking over to the baby crib and patting it proudly.

But as she leaned onto it the wood began to rattle under the introduction of the slight weight. With a crash and clatter of parts and yelp from Eli, the crib collapsed onto the floor, all of their hard work lost.

Eli pouted.

Umi scowled.

Rin blinked.

Maki threw her hands up in disgust as she turned to leave. “That’s it. I’m done. I’m sending my father’s butler over tomorrow and he can build it for us.”

Umi nodded in agreement without saying a word and followed her friends out of the room. She didn’t look back.

Eli pouted more deeply but trudged along out of the room after her friends. But she stumbled and narrowly avoided running into the door frame. Rin swung herself underneath Eli’s arm, supporting her.

“Easy does it. Eli-chan.” Rin chuckled, guiding her out of the house and back to Umi’s car.

\---

Nozomi shuffled in the direction of the living room as she carefully balanced a full glass of water in her hands. Shaking her head at Kotori as she drew near to the couch, she looked the very drunk woman up and down, her face the spitting image of a mother looking fondly at the mistakes that their child has made.

Kotori has splayed herself over the arm of the couch and was giggling quietly at something only she knew.

“Here,” Nozomi nudged her gently. “Drink some water before Umi-chan gets back. It’ll help clear your head.”

“I’m not thirsty.” Kotori whined but she sat up anyhow.

“Oh, ya will be, go on.” Nozomi placed the glass of water in her hands anyway and helped tip up the glass slowly to Kotori’s lips as she drank. “There. Now keep drinking that and you’ll help fight off the hangover tomorrow.”

Kotori nodded and palmed the glass in both of her hands, sipping quietly.

“Well, we all know that Umi will have her hands full tomorrow,” Nico commented wryly.

It was just she and Nozomi left there to look after Kotori. Hanayo had already headed home a few minutes before. She hadn’t drank much so there was no worries about her ability to drive. She was an early to bed kind of person anyway.

Nozomi chuckled and made her way back into the kitchen where Nico was washing dishes. “It’s true, but ya know how Kotori is. A little water and she’ll spring back to life.”

“True.” Nico smirked. “She’s always been the lucky one. Which is surprising considering how Eli constantly boasts about her tolerance.”

“It is rather funny if ya think about it.” Nozomi hummed, leaning against the cabinet near Nico, earning her the side eye from the short woman.

“You should sit.” Nico shooed her towards the dining room table. “I can clean up the rest.”

A nod of thanks later and Nozomi waddled over to the table, easing herself into the chair with her back arched and hand on the back of it for support.

“You look ridiculous.” Nico’s comment reached her ears. Nozomi knew how ridiculous her condition was even if it was a miracle of life to carry a child inside her.

“Don’t I, though?” Nozomi rubbed her hands over the front of her shirt covering her stomach. “I’m like a watermelon.”

“The largest fruit I’ve seen for sure...” Nico snorted, causing Nozomi to laugh as well.

“True, but that could be said for a lot of things,” she commented as Nico began to dry the last of the dishes. As she watched her carefully, Nozomi kept an eye out for the little telltale signs of defensive Nico because though the topic of babies had died down from earlier, she knew that Nico was hiding.

“Stop staring. It’s rude.” Nico commented without looking over. She could feel Nozomi’s eyes on her the entire time.

“Fine, fine. But I have a right to stare.” Nozomi gestured absently before picking at a loose thread on the table runner. She’d need to fix that later. “Ya never did answer my question from earlier, Nico-chi.”

The tension in Nico’s shoulders took hold immediate as she turned away from Nozomi just a little more. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she tried to downplay.

“Hmm. I think ya do.” Nozomi murmured. “C’mon, Niccochi. It’s just you and me now. Kotori-chan is mostly out of it she won’t hear any juicy details that ya spill.” She jerked a thumb over to the couch. Kotori’s eyes have closed but she still has still held onto the glass without spilling any water.

There was more than one note of frustration in Nico’s sighed as she set down the dishtowel that she had been using. Nozomi waited patiently, watching Nico’s body language carefully. Some people thought Nozomi was able to read minds in the past but really it was all about knowing how to read a person and the signals they gave off. You could tell a lot about a person by observing their body language.

“It’s really not as simple as everyone else’s concerns.” Nico began, idly rearranging the dishes in the drying rack. “Maki and I have always been more complicated. Hell, it took us forever to get together in the first place because of how we argued back and forth. It wasn’t until she was in Med school that she was able to tell me how she felt and that was more out of lack of filters than anything else. We always fought before that..”

“Mmm, yeah I remember. But it was never malicious, Nicocchi.” Nozomi reassured. “And you know she loves you. Just look at how much she’s changed since back then”

“That’s true,” she conceded. “But just because she’s changed a lot since then doesn’t mean that she’s gonna be ready for kids. No matter how much I want them...” Nico’s voice trailed off towards the end of the sentence, doubt slipping into her normally confident voice.

“Nico..” Nozomi smiled softly at her even though she wasn’t looking at her. “If ya want something that much ya need to let her know. It’s not fair to you to..”

“It’s not that simple,” Nico said through gritted teeth. Nozomi was unsure if Nico was actually mad at her or if it was just the entire situation.

“Ok. Then tell me why it isn’t that simple.” Nozomi shifted to get more comfortable in her chair.

The pregnant pause that followed as Nico pushed down her temper and gathered her thoughts felt deafening to them both. Nozomi could be infuriating but Nico knew she wanted to help. There was no sign of teasing in any part of the conversation so far.

“Fine. It’s..it’s just that I don’t know if it is the right time for her.”

Nozomi nodded, but waited for Nico to continue.

“Maki is Maki. She’s very focused. She tends to get tunnel vision when she’s working towards something. And right now she’s working on the hospital. She’s been working a crazy schedule as she does her normal shifts AND adding extra time in other wards. She spent all of last week in the ER and she was nearly dead when she got home.” Nico frowned. “I’m already worried she’s overworking herself as gets to know the hospital. Her father is gonna retire in a few years and that means that though Maki’s father will still have a controlling share of the hospital, Maki will be in charge of the whole place. She’s gonna be directing all of those people and dealing with all of the paper work...”

“And you’re worried that she’s not gonna have enough time for you let alone a baby?” Nozomi had seen right through her.

Nico shook her head in affirmation a sadness creeping over her. Nozomi sighed.

“Have ya talked with her about those concerns?”

Nico shook her head. “No. Between Maki’s current schedule, my work schedule and everything else that has happened lately,” Nico’s eyes flicked over to look at Nozomi. “There really hasn’t been much time for anything. And when we do have time off I don’t want to spend it fighting which is what I’m sure this will turn into.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because, tits, Maki and I don’t have the perfect relationship that you and the Russian have.” The irritation in Nico’s voice grew again.

“Elichi and I don’t have a perfect relationship,” Nozomi smirked, which infuriated Nico further.

“Yes, you do, just look at you two. Sure, she’s a bit of a worry wart but you move seamlessly with each other through life. You have since the first day you met.”

“No, we haven’t,” Nozomi chuckled. “Eli was so stand-offish it was like pulling teeth to get her to open up to me. In fact, I’m pretty sure that she may have hated me that first semester. I wouldn’t leave her alone.”

“You do have that habit with people.” Nico muttered.

“What I’m saying is that no relationship is perfect. Elichi and I have to work at things just like you and Maki-chan do. We have our fights but we do our best to try to talk about what’s wrong afterwards. Communication helps a lot. It may take a few tries to get it right but you won’t know unless you try.” Nozomi reasoned as she fixed her gaze on Nico. “But this isn’t about Eli and I, it’s about how ya want really badly to have a child of your own and being too afraid to talk to Maki-chan about it because you’re afraid of her rejecting you and you getting hurt.”

Nico opened her mouth to speak but she immediately closed it. Again, Nozomi hit the nail on the head. Nico 0: Nozomi 609.

“Do you think that Maki-chan doesn’t wants kids?” Nozomi asked quietly, guessing at what was going on in Nico’s mind.

“I don’t think she does,” Nico admitted so quietly that Nozomi had trouble hearing her. “She doesn’t really like kids from what I can tell.”

“She’s always got along with your siblings, though.” Nozomi pointed out. “I mean, it’s obvious they all love her. Especially Cotarou. He clung to her whenever he was little and she didn’t push him away. Even now doesn’t he text her.”

“Yeah, but I don’t know, I always get the impression that she is putting on a good face for me because they are my kid siblings.” Nico laughed derisively as she stood with her arms crossed over her chest. She stared at the floor as she spoke. “Maki is all about putting up fronts, it is how she’s always been. It’s how she was raised.”

“That may be true but you know she doesn’t do that when it comes to you. At least not anymore. She’s grown up a lot, ya should give her the benefit of the doubt.” Nozomi stood up with a bit of difficulty and made her way over to Nico’s side. She nudged her gently before hugging Nico from the side. From that distance, Nozomi could see that Nico’s eyes were rimmed with red; she was doing her best to not cry. She squeezed her a little tighter and felt Nico’s arm come up to return the embrace. Nico’s tears started to fall and Nozomi could feel her smaller shoulder begin to shake.

“It will be okay, Nicocchi.” Nozomi said soothingly.

“What if she really doesn’t want to?” Nico sniffled. “What if it is because of me? What if she doesn’t think I’m good enough to start a family with?”

“Nico Yazawa. We both know that is preposterous. Maki-chan loves you and she wouldn’t be with you if she didn’t think the world of you. And you’re a wonderful girlfriend and big sister, I might add. Anyone would be lucky to have a family with you. You’re dedicated and a very good homemaker. Plus you’re the Number One Idol in the Milky Way Galaxy!” Nozomi winked.

Nico laughed a little, her spirits lifting. “I haven’t been an idol in a very long time.”

“None of us have but that doesn’t change anything about you.” She squeezed her again, knowing that that was another difficult reality to face for Nico from long ago. “But you need to Maki-chan what you want. I’ve never known you to back down from a challenge before. Especially when it comes to Maki-chan.”

“But what abou---”

“Nico,” Nozomi took a step back to look at her properly. “I know it’s scary asking for something you want. You put your badly. But I think Maki-chan will surprise you if you let her.”

“Okay,” Nico exhaled as she wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve. “I’ll give it shot. Thanks Nozom--”

There was a loud knock at the door making both women turn away. Kotori came out of her dazed, jumping to her feet. She made it to the door first, ripping it open.

“Umi-chan!” Kotori exclaimed, throwing herself through the brought door.

“Kotori, oh god, no!” Umi’s strangled cry flooded into the apartment, followed by a familiar grunt that Nozomi recognized as Eli’s. “Let me get her in the door first, honey.”

“Nico-chan! A little help here?” Maki’s voice joined the din.

As Nico and Nozomi rounded the corner, they saw Umi and Maki carrying a pretty drunk looking Eli between them. Kotori had latched herself onto Umi’s outside arm, pulling her roughly in one direction while attempting to hug her.

“Oh my,” Nozomi said while doing her best not to laugh. “What happened here?”

“What do you think happened?” Maki grimaced as she struggled to bring Eli into the apartment.

Nico rushed forwarded and tugged Kotori away from poor Umi, earning a whine from the ashen-haired woman.

“You can hug your woman AFTER she brings the drunk in.” Nico used her foot to fling the door closed the door behind them so as not to let in anymore of the cold.

Umi’s face flushed crimson as she held Eli up. She redirected her attention to Nozomi. “Where do you want her?”

“The bedroom if you don’t mind,” Nozomi shook her head, smiling.

Eli perked up when she heard Nozomi’s voice. “Nontan! You’re here!” She slurred, moving to work her way out of Umi and Maki’s grips and trying to hug Nozomi. She almost fell on her face but Umi caught her.

“I am here, silly. I live here. Hopefully you didn’t drink so much that you forgot that.” Nozomi stepped to the side as her friends carried her girlfriend into the bedroom.

“Well, she’s a mess.” Nico rubbed her face, her arms free now that Kotori had stopped trying to tackle Umi. “You weren’t supposed to get her drunk, idiots.”

“It’s not my fault that she doesn’t know her limits.” Maki came out of the bedroom while rubbing her shoulder. She immediately spotted Nico and smiled but the smile was short lived as she noticed Nico’s eyes. They were slightly red around the edges and were shinier - a sure sign that she had been crying. Nico looked away, turning to go into the kitchen

“Nico-chan..”

“Nozomi do you need us to help you with her tonight before we leave?” Umi came back into the room after dropping Eli off on the bed. She showed no signs of the task being taxing. “You shouldn’t be trying to lift her or stress your body.”

“I’ve dealt with her before, Umi-chan, but thank you. I’ll manage.” Nozomi placed a hand on Umi’s arm. “I appreciate ya dragging her home. I didn’t realize it was a drinking adventure, though.

“Kotori recommended a place. I’m sorry things got out of hand, this wasn’t my intention.” Umi admitted. At the sound of her name, Kotori swiftly latched onto Umi’s arm and nuzzled in.

“Umi-chan.” Kotori cooed.

Umi blushed again but rolled her eyes in a good natured manner at Kotori’s antics. She patted her girlfriend on the head.

Nozomi smiled at the two of them after looking back from the bedroom for a moment. She hummed in thought. “It’s alright, Umi-chan. Eli needs to destress too from time to time. I just hope she hasn’t made herself too sick. But what I am curious about is why she drank so much. Did something happen?”

Umi hesitated under Nozomi’s gaze. She didn’t want to betray her friend’s trust. “Sort of. But I think she’ll be alright. Just go easy on her about her hangover. She had a rough night.”

Nozomi nodded quietly, blinking. Her curiosity was definitely peeked. “I’ll keep that in mind. But for now, ya should probably head home. It is getting pretty late. Thanks again, Umi-chan, Maki-chan.”

Umi smiled briefly before having Kotori pull her attention once more. She had started kissing Umi’s neck from behind. “K-kotori!”

Kotori giggled. Umi sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose before she guided Kotori over to the door to put her coat on. “Let’s get you home. Looks like I have my hands full as well.”

“I certainly hope so,” Kotori winked in an exaggerated fashion.

Umi choked on air. The others laughed.

“Carefully there, Umi. Wouldn’t want you getting hurt.” Maki smirked.

“Oh, shut it.” Umi growled as she gently pushed Kotori out the front door.

“Goodnight, Nozomi-chan, Nico-chan! Thanks for a fun evening!” Kotori waved.

“Anytime, Kotori-chan. Get home safely. You too, Umi-chan.” Nozomi winked. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” Umi grimaced as she closed the door behind her.

Nico rolled her eyes as the two left. She pointed kept from interacting with Maki as she put her three layers of coat on, returning her to the her final pink marshmallow form from earlier in the evening. “Okay, well if you’ve got everything in order, we’ll head home. But let me know if you need anything tomorrow. Okay, Tits?”

Nozomi grinned. “Of course. Goodnight Nicocchi.” She gave Nico a pointed look. Then turned to Maki as she showed them out of the apartment. “Goodnight Maki-chan.”

“Goodnight,” Maki said as she followed Nico out of the apartment.

\---

“So...” Maki said, breaking the silence that had filled their car on the ride home. Nico, however, continued to look out of car window. They were almost home but Maki couldn’t stop thinking about earlier.

The car had been flooded with warm air from the heater so Nico had finally stopped shivering.

“You wanna tell me why you’ve been crying?” Maki asked.

“I wasn’t crying.” Nico said, flatly.

“Liar.”

“Don’t call me a liar.”

“But you are one.” Maki sighed. The car came to a stop and they waited for the traffic light to change. “You’re my girlfriend. I can always tell when you’ve been crying.” She said quietly.

Nico remained silent for several more minutes. Maki continued to drive.

“Yeah, so I was crying. So sue me.”

“Nico-chan...” She pulled into their driveway and put the car in park. The hum of the engine filled their ears as Maki reached for Nico’s hand and ran her thumb across the back of it. “Please tell me what’s wrong.”

“It’s....” Nico inhaled deeply before letting out the air slowly. “I’ve just been thinking about a few things.”

“Oh? About what?”

“About us,” Nico finally looked at Maki. “About our future.”

Maki stayed quiet, letting Nico talk.

“There are some things that we need to talk about.” Maki’s eyebrows shot into her hairline, worry taking over her expression. Nico quickly backtracked. “Nothing bad, I mean. And I’m not entirely sure I’m ready to talk about it, but I will be, soon.”

Maki nodded. “Okay, I get it. I think. Do you know when you’ll be ready to talk?”

“Not sure, but soon I think. When’s your next day off?”

“End of next week, but if it’s important I can switch with someone and I can get the day after tomorrow off.” Maki was already calculating in her head how to make this happen, but Nico leaned up and kissed her cheek, interrupting her train of thought.

“No, next week is fine. No need to shake things up. I need time to think anyhow.”

“You sure? I don’t mind.” Maki leaned her head against Nico’s and nuzzled slightly.

“I’m sure,” Nico smiled, relaxing into Maki’s warmth. “Right now, I’ve got you for eight more hours until you have to head back to work. I’d much rather spend that time unwinding with you and cuddling tonight. Is that okay?”

“Always. Just no more crying.” Maki nudged her.

“Deal.”

\---

Entering the bedroom, Nozomi spied a very wobbly Eli sitting on the bed. She was still awake but very out of it. She shuffled over to the dresser and pulled out a set of sleep clothes before slowly moving to Eli.

Nozomi sat down on the bed next to Eli, placing Eli’s night clothes on the bed beside them. Eli’s coat had been removed and was laying on the floor nearby.

“Someone had a little too much fun,” Nozomi said as she stroked Eli’s cheek. The Blonde’s eyes were closed as she sat on the bed.

“Noo, not too much. Just enough.” Eli murmured. Her hand came up and interlaced her fingers with Nozomi sloppily. Bringing up to her lips she kissed it tenderly. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Nozomi chuckled. “But I should probably get you some water.”

“Nooo, don’t leave,” Eli whined, giving Nozomi puppy dog eyes.

Nozomi leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. “It won’t take very long, I promise. I’ve got to take care of you like you’ve been taking care of me. Do you think you can change into your pajamas while I’m gone?” She swept Eli’s bangs out of her face.

“Yuup!” Eli hiccuped as she took the sleep shirt into her hands. “I got this.” She smiled goofily at Nozomi.

“Good. Then do that and I’ll be right back.”

She added another kiss for good measure before standing and going into the kitchen. When she returned to the bedroom, she found Eli sitting upright and sound asleep; her arm and head were halfway into her sleep shirt and her pants had been thrown across the floor.

“What am I going to do with you?”

Eli’s snores had already began to fill the room. 


	17. Chapter 17

Eli woke up the next morning feeling like she’d been hit by a truck. Well, she assumed it was morning as she unglued her face from the pillow beneath her. To be honest, she wasn’t certain what time it was since the blinds in their bedroom were closed tightly. She willed her body to roll over onto her side and she squinted with great difficulty at the clock.

11:33 A.M.

“I overslept...” Eli groaned as she closed her eyes in an attempt to assuage the dry-scratchy feeling that seemed to have taken over; a few tears came to her aid in the process but she knew this would be an uphill battle. She must have fallen asleep with her contacts again There was no other sensation she could recall that could urge her to peel her eyes out of her head just to get an iota of relief. She’d fix it just as soon as she managed to get out of her bed. But that was easy thought about than done.

Moving slowly to the edge of the bed, Eli managed to push herself into a sitting position. There was instant regret causing her to hold her head in hands. The familiar sound of Russian curses added themselves to the moment as Eli quietly uttered them through the spaces in her fingers.

The door to the bedroom opened with a quiet squeak. The noise, however, was like a very loud shot to Eli’s brain causing her to add more profanities into the mix.

“Someone’s finally awake.” Nozomi entered the room carrying a mug in her hands. She padded over to Eli’s side but the blonde didn’t look up at her, she was still covering her eyes.

“Elichi?” Nozomi tried again.

“Not so loud.” Eli murmured, switching back to a language that Nozomi could understand.

Nozomi chuckled as quietly as she was able before using her free hand to lightly stroke Eli’s cheek. “Not so good this morning, huh?”

Eli gave a small grunt as she leaned into Nozomi’s delicate touch.

“What hurts?” Nozomi asked.

“Head.” Eli whined. “And my body feels slow.”

“Well, that’s what ya get for drinking too much.” Nozomi said. She wasn’t scolding Eli. She already knew that the damage had been done by the alcohol she was merely adding a playful tease to lighten the moment. “I brought coffee. The caffeine should help a bit with the headache.”

Eli perked up, finally removing her head from her hands. She spotted the coffee mug and instantly reached out her arms like a zombie towards the cup of hot revival liquid. Nozomi gently placed the cup in her hands and waited until Eli had a solid grip on it before letting go. She watched as Eli savored the first taste.

“You’re amazing.” Eli sighed contentedly.

“Me or the coffee?” laughed Nozomi.

“Both.” Eli took another sip.

Nozomi ran her fingers through the messy locks of Eli’s hair.

“It’s good to know that I didn’t get beat out by burnt bean dust.” She teased, sliding into the spot next to her on the bed.

“Never. You’re amazing and I love you dearly but right now this will make me more human.” Eli nodded, continuing to drink carefully.

Nozomi laughed watching as Eli slowly became more coherent.

“Any nausea?” Nozomi asked as Eli neared the bottom of her cup.

Eli shook her head. “Thankfully no.”

“That’s good,” She answered quietly. “I’ve got some food made in the kitchen if ya feel like eating. It will help ya process the alcohol in your system if your stomach isn’t so empty.”

“Sounds good.”

They fell into a comfortable silence while Nozomi continuing to run her hand through Eli’s hair while allowing Eli to lean against her as she drank. It was nice - even for Eli who was fending off a headache. But all silences must come to an end eventually.

“I’m Sorry.”

“Hmm?” Nozomi hummed. She felt the laziness of the moment seeping into her bones. Truth be told she could go for a late morning nap herself. “For what?”

“I said I’m sorry. For getting drunk. I should have been more responsible.” Eli turned the now empty cup around in her hands; a nervous habit.

“It’s alright. Everyone has to cut loose sometimes, right? It’s just best when that sometime doesn’t get you too sick. Umi-chan said you had quite a lot.” Nozomi smirked. “Elichi is always an overachiever.”

Eli didn’t really see the joke. Her guilt overshadowed it. “I still shouldn’t have done it anyhow. I’ve ruined our day off because I’m stupid.”

“One, you’re not stupid. And two ya haven’t necessarily ruined it. You’ve delayed it a little but we were gonna sleep in anyway, right?”

Eli nodded.

Nozomi took Eli’s hand in hers, intertwining their fingers. “So, none of that. We’ll just get some food in ya and then you’ll be better. It’s not like we planned to go out anywhere. Just a nice day at home, remember?” Nozomi smiled fondly at her.

“I do.” Eli leaned against her a little more before placing a kiss on Nozomi’s forehead. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Nozomi breathed as she closed her eyes.

Another short silence followed before Nozomi pushed herself into a standing position. One arm behind her, the other already reaching for Eli’s empty cup which the blonde gladly handed over.

“Go take out your contacts while I get your food ready.” Nozomi gestured to the bathroom.

“How did you know I was sleeping in them?” Eli asked, rubbing her left eye.

“Because you didn’t even get your pajamas fully on before you passed out. I couldn’t do anything but shove you over to your side of the bed after that.” Nozomi pointed out.

“I was pretty gone, huh?”

“Yup.”

Eli got up and slowly made her way to the bathroom. As she took a look at her messy appearance in the mirror bits of the night before came creeping back into her brain. Specifically a small spackle of paint on her collarbone. Then she remembered taking Umi and Maki to the new house and then everything else tumbled back to her. She screamed silently into her hands. Crap. She’d really done it, hadn’t she? She’d need to apologize to Umi and Maki for...unloading like that. It wasn’t like her. Eli raked her hands down her face, frowning as she looked at herself once more in the mirror before before she taking out her contacts. It was a painful process since her eyes were so dry. She had to use eye drops to help out.

“Was Umi, um, mad when she dropped me off last night?” Eli called, wincing as she accidentally poked herself in the eye.

“No.” Nozomi responded from the kitchen. “Not that I could tell at any rate.”

Eli managed to get the second contact to come out with much more ease (probably since she was now producing tears from squinting so much under the glaring light of the vanity bulbs) and set the lens into the clean eye solution in its case.

“Are you sure?” Eli asked again, her vision momentarily blurry as she set her contacts case aside. “I wasn’t exactly very considerate, I guess.” She sighed, reaching for a hard black case, opening it and retrieving her glasses. The frames were light, unobtrusive and Eli didn’t really mind them. She just didn’t wear them very often.

Once done, she headed into the dining room, only having to clutch the wall once to keep from being off balance. At least her hangover wasn’t going to be as bad as she thought it would be when she first woke up. She was lucky but she figured it was just Nozomi’s infinite luck rubbing off on her for a change.

“No, she wasn’t. She and Maki-chan brought ya up the stairs and I had them put ya in the bedroom since I wouldn’t be able to lift ya.” Nozomi ran a hand over her stomach.

Eli paled as she took a seat at their table. “Sorry. I didn’t even think of that.”

“It’s fine,” Nozomi shrugged. “Like I said, they handled it. Then I did my best to guide you to bed and you passed out. I did manage to get you to take a small sip of water but I don’t suspect ya were actually awake for that. And now we’re here. Me fixing ya some food and you with a headache.” Nozomi sat a bowl of rice and a bowl soup in front of her.

“You sure?”

“I am. They couldn’t just leave ya in the lurch, after all. I even texted Umi-chan this morning before you woke up to see how she was. Kotori-chan was a little smashed too and she seemed to be a little aggressively huggy when she saw Umi-chan.”

“Oh god,” Eli snorted. “Are they both okay?”

“Yep,” Nozomi laughed. “Kotori-chan passed out as soon as they got home so Umi was all in the clear. She just put Kotori to bed. And then fell asleep herself. No harm or excitement. Umi-chan knows how to handle both herself and Kotori-chan.”

“That’s good at least,” Eli said, tasting her soup. Her stomach instantly responded with a growl and she began eating more vigorously.

“Slow down,” Nozomi chided, playfully wapping Eli on the shoulder with a dish towel. “Ya don’t want to upset your stomach if it isn’t already. Slow and steady wins the hangover race, Elichi. I don’t care what ya say about your Russian genetics.”

Eli couldn’t help but smile at the ridiculous metaphor. She nodded and ate more slowly.

“I ever tell ya how cute ya look in your glasses?” Nozomi smiled as she ran her fingers through Eli’s hair again.

“Once or twice.” Eli smirked, swallowing another spoon full. Her glasses slid down her nose a bit, necessitating her to pause in her eating to push them back up.

“Heh. I guess I have then. But still. You’re very cute.”

“I think you’re pretty cute too.” Eli looked up at her, a dopey smile spreading across her face.

Nozomi giggled. “That’s always good to hear.”

“And I love you very much”

“That’s also good to hear.” She tapped Eli on the nose with her finger. “But for now, finish your lunch. We’ve got the rest of the day for sweet nothings.”

Eli couldn’t argue with that, so she went back to eating as Nozomi went back to cleaning up the ‘breakfast’ dishes.

\---

Between the food in her belly and the water and aspirin that Nozomi gave her to take, Eli felt much better by the time the afternoon officially rolled around.

The rest of the day they spent together, each working on different projects. Eli curled up in the corner of the couch with her sketchbook and Nozomi sitting on the floor with her legs spread out in front of her as well as dozens photos and papers she was going through scattered and stacked on the carpet.

“Do ya like this one or this one better?” Nozomi held up two prints, showing them to Eli. Each photo showed a different angle of a small shrine that Nozomi had visited a few months ago on a photography assignment.

Eli took a break from her own project to look up and over the top of her glasses at the photos scrutinizing each one carefully. She’d spent a small chunk of the day going over several drafts of a design for one of the accounts she had been working on. The drawing book in her lap was littered with designs for a green tea advertisement.

“I think the second one looks good. It’s focal point is better. You’ve caught the light coming through the trees perfectly.” Eli glanced back down into her lap and continued to sketch.

“You may be right.” Nozomi hummed, examining the second photo more closely.

“Of course I’m right.” Eli smirked. “I know your talent. I wouldn’t have hired you to help out on those travel accounts last year if I didn’t. You know your stuff.”

“Well, practice makes perfect.” Nozomi shrugged, setting the photos down onto the pile. She made a note about the chosen photo in a nearby notebook. “And I have had a lot of practice. I’ve been taking photos with my father's camera since I was little.”

Nozomi stretched upwards, letting thoughts of her father wash over her and away. She’d grown stiff from sitting on the floor where she had most of her paperwork strewn about as she went through her process. She tensed when her back seized sharply and she let out a yelp of pain.

Eli noticed immediately, setting her drawing pad and pencil aside. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, just a little stiff.” Nozomi kneaded her hand into the left side of her back. “It’s getting harder to find a comfortable position when I sleep so I’m a little more sore than I’d like.”

“Well, sitting on the floor can’t be helping either, Non-tan.”

“I know,” Nozomi said, moving her legs to the side as she arched herself into a more upright position. “But it had the most space to do this and still be near you.”

“I could have dragged the dining room table in here too.” Eli frowned as she watched her struggle.

“Too much trouble,” Nozomi waved off the idea as she wobbled and shifted from side to side. She was having trouble finding the right angle, the roundness of her pregnant stomach interfering with her ability to stand up. It wasn’t until Nozomi was in an odd half-crab like position that Eli’d finally seen enough.

Hopping off the couch, Eli walked around in front of Nozomi and looked down at her.

“More trouble than it is taking you to get off the floor?” She quirked an eyebrow at her, doing her best to look serious while stifling the laughter in her chest.

Nozomi ignored her as she continued to try to stand up, pressing her hands into the floor behind her in order to get a better leverage. Nozomi could be stubborn sometimes. Finally, Nozomi sunk back down to the floor with a frustrated huff. This only made Eli lose it, her laughter finally enveloping the still sitting Nozomi.

“If you’re going to make fun of me, at least help me up?” Nozomi pouted and offered her arms out limply for Eli to take.

She wrapped her hands around Nozomi’s arms and tugged her gently to her feet with little effort. Eli smiled down at her as she wrapped Nozomi into a hug.

“I almost had it.” Nozomi protested even as she let herself sink into Eli’s embrace.

“I know,” Eli said as the mirth in her voice dwindling. “Next time just ask for help before the epic struggle, okay?”

“Okay,” Nozomi breathed in Eli’s scent as they stood there. Reassuring and steady. That was her Eli. Nozomi gripped Eli a little more tightly as she thought how lucky she was to have her - even when she did stubborn or silly things. That reminded her of what happened the night before and what Umi had said.

“Eli?”

“Hmm?”

“Why _did_ ya drink so much last night?”

Nozomi could feel Eli tensed in their embrace. But it was gone quickly as Eli tried to hide it. She had never been a very good liar.

“I was dumb,” Eli said quietly. “Just lost track of things, I guess.”

“Mmm. Ya usually don’t drink that much so I was curious what had happened. Perhaps Maki-chan egged ya on?.” Nozomi teased as she lightly stroked her hand up and down on Eli’s back. Eli shrugged noncommittally, clearly not wanting to elaborate.

Nozomi realized she was going to have to do a bit more prodding in order to get the truth.

“The last time ya drank even close to that much was before ya told your grandmother about us,” She kissed the area near Eli’s collarbone. “Ya were so sick the next day.”

Eli laughed quietly. “I definitely paid for it. My head felt like it was splitting in two.”

“I remember. Luckily it didn’t keep us from making it to dinner with your family that night or else all of the worry would have been for nothing.”

“It’s true. And then she just accepted us with open arms.” Eli squeezed Nozomi a little tighter, remembering the relief she had felt once she’d shared her whole truth with her family.

“It’s because you’re such a grandmama’s girl.” Nozomi teased as she pulled away and gave Eli a kiss. She tugged her back over towards the couch and gestured for Eli to sit down in the corner.

Eli snorted. “Maybe. I just think it is because you’re so wonderful. She was bound to like you as the person I’d chosen.”

When Eli had made herself comfortable, she held out her arms for Nozomi to join her, allowing her to sit in between her legs with Nozomi’s back pressed against her front. She snuggled in, resting her hands on her stomach.

“Fine. Maybe it was because of both of us. We do go well together in most any circumstance. But the point is that it worked out in the end despite your worrying.” Nozomi turned and kissed Eli on the cheek.

“You’re right.”

“I know. I usually am.” Nozomi said simply, leaning her head back against Eli shoulder.

“I can’t deny that.” Eli hummed.

The two of them sat in silence, looking out of the window ahead of them. The blinds were raised and open just enough that they could see their busy urban neighborhood as it went through its late afternoon routine and the sun lowered in the sky; its rays turning golden as the light poured through the window.

Eli ran her hand up and down Nozomi’s side. She felt light and happy. The light humming melody that spilled out of her chest turned into soft singing, regaling Nozomi with a song from her childhood. It was in Russian but that’s what made it all the more special as she continued to sing. Nozomi shifted a bit more into Eli’s and shut her eyes. Minutes passed like that though it felt like much longer but it didn’t matter. The mood was perfect. Her favorite way to spend their evening: Together.

“Tsss.” Nozomi moved her hands to the side of her stomach, massaging the spot gently.

“What’s wrong?” Eli was immediately alert, her brows furrowed at the sound of Nozomi’s sharp intake of air.

“Nothing,” Nozomi said but she shifted again as another sensation hit her. “It’s just...mmm...someone decided to get a little bit active.”

The fluttering feeling of the ‘kicking’ movement changed places as the fetus shifted inside her stomach. Nozomi couldn’t help but find it amusing, even through the bit of uncomfortableness.. “She’s wiggly tonight.”

Eli’s expression melted into one of wonder as she watched Nozomi’s hands glide over the places she had felt movement in. “I still have trouble believing I’m not dreaming sometimes. I know I’ve said it before but I’m glad we’re starting a family. And that all this is real. Especially her.” She whispered against Nozomi’s neck; the action causing a shiver to go up her spine.

“She’s definitely real.” Nozomi hummed softly.

She reached back and took Eli’s hand in hers, guiding it to the spot where the kick had happening last. “Right there. Can you feel it?” Nozomi asked.

Eli shook her head but continued to keep her hand where Nozomi had placed it.

“Press down just slightly. Like this.” She helped Eli put pressure on the spot, moving her fingers around gently so that she could try to feel it. Eli concentrated hard on feeling the movement but everything was still.

“Nothing,” Eli’s face fell. “Why did she stop?”

“Hmm. Not sure.” Nozomi wondered aloud. “Maybe she was finally found a comfy spot. She’s been more active lately, I can tell ya that. Which is good in its own way if a little uncomfortable for me.”

“That’s just my luck.” Eli let out a long moan of suffering. Her disappointment flooding out almost musically. She was already retracting her hand back into her lap when Nozomi felt the slightest flutter again.

She grabbed Eli’s hand and kept it in place.

Eli was startled by her girlfriend’s sudden grip on her hand. “Nozomi?”

“Sing?”

“What?” Eli looked confused. “Why?”

“I have a theory.” Nozomi prodded Eli gently. She moved her hand gently to the left of her navel even as she loosened her grip. “Now please, sing.”

“What should I sing?” Eli asked quietly, uncertain why she was being requested to do this.

“Something happy.” Nozomi mused. She and Eli shift in order to get more comfortable, Eli’s long legs flanking Nozomi’s shorter ones on the couch. The sun had drifted even lower on the horizon, coloring their living room even more in burnt oranges, dusky blues, and purples. They would need to turn on the lights soon, but getting up now would be a waste of the moment, Nozomi thought. They could endure a little bit longer without them.

“Ok. Hmm.” Eli scrunched her face up in thought, wondering what she should sing. “Something happy, huh? How about...”

_“_ _Let my heart become a gentle breeze,”_ she began to sing softly, emphasizing the end of the line with her breath warm against the nape of Nozomi’s neck. _“Yes, I want to give you energy...”_ a kiss was added to the same spot as she continued. Nozomi smiled, her heart beating faster at Eli’s tenderness.

_“....so you'll do your best.”_ Eli felt the movement under her hands. The little life that they were getting ready to meet shifting and ‘kicking’ where Nozomi had Eli’s hand pressed. Eli licked her lips her mouth going dry. The sensation never failed to amaze her. She didn’t want the movement to stop so she kept singing.

_“Oh, Love & Peace...” _ she sang a little louder. Another movement. All making Eli’s sappy smile grow wider. She hesitated, stumbling over her words, her heart overflowing with joy.

_“When you're sad, I vow, to always hold you tight, don't forget that.”_ Nozomi took over, blending a little roughly at first. It had been a while since they’d sang a proper duet but they soon fell into sync as Eli picked up the melody and the rhythm of the song once more.

_“Even if it's painful, cry no more.”_

Eli could tell that their hearts were connected and feeling the same thing.

_“Let's graduate from the solitude, Love & Peace.” _

The baby in Nozomi’s stomach had become active as her parents sang this little, lesser coveted song from their Idol days. Eli was amazed at how much difference the song had made, but Nozomi could only smile because she had been right. Another point to her, but really who was keeping score?

“Someone loves your singing.” Nozomi rubbed the spots on her stomach. The activity of the little one was leaving her a tad bit sore.

Eli seemed stunned into silence. She only nodded against Nozomi’s shoulder.

“Eli,” Nozomi said, bringing a hand back and curling it gently around Eli’s neck, embracing her. “I love you. _We_ love you.” She spoke pointedly. “I realize that ya may not want to talk about why ya were drinking so much last night. And that’s okay. I don’t mind so much as long as you’re okay now. But if it had or has anything to do with me or us.” She gestured to her stomach still under Eli’s fingers. “I want you to know that you’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ll love ya no matter what, as you’ve done for me ever since I’ve met ya. Whatever challenge we’ll face we’ll do it together and remember that I’m here too. We’ll both be. So, ya don’t always have to be the one bearing the load, okay?”

Nozomi shifted so that she could turn her face and look at Eli. Eli stared into her turquoise eyes, the light from the almost gone sunset causing their color to deep into infinite pools she’d eagerly drown herself in. Nozomi leaned forward to her as best she could from her position and kissed her.

And then kissed her again.

Three times in all before she sat back into her comfortable position in Eli’s arms.

“I love you with all of my heart.” It was all Eli could muster as she whispered against Nozomi’s neck as they settled back in, her hands resting over Nozomi’s on her stomach. “And thank you for being in my life.”

Nozomi smiled as she watched the stars slowly come out. But none of them as bright or warm as the woman that was holding her from behind.

The night that was upon them would be a peaceful one.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter of 'act II' as I'm calling it. It was short, but good. 
> 
> More updates to come soon. I'm almost done with the beginning of 'Act III'. Stay tuned and let me know how I did. 
> 
> Thanks for sticking around, friends. ^.^


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update within two weeks from the last posting? A miracle, I know. LMAO. 
> 
> But here it is! 
> 
> Also, I added the commission from my bro, Zaven (@68bears on twitter and tumblr) to the end of the last chapter. It reflects the last scene of that chapter and I love it as much as anything. :3
> 
> Enjoy the new chapter!

\---

As the weeks flew by, everyone manage stayed busy in one way or another. Eli’s work kept her distracted and on her toes. Nozomi got back to some of her normal activities once the doctor cleared her, the upswing in her and the baby’s health had even allowed her to travel to a few planned jobs and events. 

Armed with her camera, she had captured hundreds of new photos of the special and rare moments at a two weddings, birthday parties, among other things. She’d even managed to land two back-to-back photoshoots for a popular idol magazine. The experience had been nostalgic and with Rin at her side they were recognized instantly and subsequently fawned over during breaks and after the shoot. Everyone was eager to please them even though they were the ones that were being paid to do the photography. All those years later μ's still had an impact in the public’s memory. It was a win-win. It made working with the models and producers that much more pleasant, allowing her to make the best of the strenuous three-hour shoots. The major story spreads that had been made from her and Rin’s work and increased the magazine sales, resulting in a nice monetary bonus.

It had been a wonderful way to round out her last working weeks. She’d agreed to the cutoff to field work with both the doctor and Eli when she’d come off of bed rest. She needed to take it easy and focus on riding out the rest of the pregnancy. And for a change, Nozomi didn’t argue. 

As the final trimester drew nearer and nearer to its end, the changes in her body began to weigh on her. Her feet had been prone to swelling during long days and she found that her breath and stamina were not what they were before. All of her energy was being diverted to the incubation and growth of her child. She had even been making a point of scheduling her arrival home before Eli in order to lay down on the couch for a few hours as she recovered. She would put herself back together by the time so that she could convince her that her day hadn’t been as bad. She didn’t want her work to be cut even shorter.

Even then, Eli would notice little things about how tired Nozomi would look when she got home but decided not to say anything unless it came to stretching herself far too thin. Instead, she’d help Nozomi relax, giving a back massage whenever she looked like she needed it or make her a cup of tea before bed to help her relax. It was Nozomi’s choice to take the jobs and she trusted her to know her limit. And Nozomi did fine but by the end of the last week of the photoshoots she was completely wiped and welcomed the downtime.

So, taking the doctor’s advice, she stayed home, only venturing out for the occasional trip to the grocery store in their neighborhood. She would go out with Eli unless Eli had to work late and then one of the other former μ's members would volunteer to go with her so she wouldn’t have to lug home the heavy grocery bag. Kotori had been the most frequent volunteer since it feel at the same time when she got off of work and Umi usually working late at the family dojo. 

The new arrangement took the worry off of Eli’s shoulders because she didn’t have to think about Nozomi potentially stressing herself. It was a bonus to the period of relaxation that Nozomi still had Rin out in the field working making her able to work on projects and the office side of her business from home when she became bored. 

Then there was the occasional time, like that afternoon, where Rin had dropped by and they were working together on some of the business’ ongoing projects. Nozomi sitting on the couch with her legs stretched out and elevated to help alleviate her back pain and working on her laptop while Rin was sitting in a chair next to her. As they worked, Rin handed her files, paperwork for job bids, photo prints and negatives as the rest lay strewn across the nearby coffee table.

“How’s this one look?” Rin asked, showing Nozomi the fourth print in a series she’d taken. “It’s got a similar look to the ones that you took a few months ago.” 

“Hmm. The lighting is similar.” Nozomi mused as she examined the photo. “But the hues in this one are a little more winter and less fall.”

“Well, it was winter at time I took them.” Rin reasoned.

“I know. But we need something that will match a little closer. Hmm. What about one of those?” She pointed across the table to another pile that Rin had brought with her. 

“That pile is just a bunch of mess ups.” Rin frowned. “I forgot I had them in the folder and accidentally brought them with me.”

“Doesn’t matter. Hand ‘em over.”

Rin shrugged handed over the top half of the pile. She traded the ones Nozomi had in her lap for the new prints. Rin shook her head as she watched Nozomi compare all of the photos with the set on her screen. They had only been trash shots she’d been playing around with as a warm up. They certainly weren’t up to Nozomi’s normal standards.

“I like them.” Nozomi finally stated. “This one’s perfect.”

“Dowhatnow?” Rin blinked.

“I said it’s perfect. I think it will round out the collection nicely.”

“But it’s off center and at that weird angle because I tripped while taking the shot.” The ginger-haired girl still seemed confused.

“Rin,” Nozomi held the photos back out to her, the chosen photo print on top. “It’s perfect. The lighting is what we need and all those other things make it special and exactly what we need. Sometimes our mistakes turn out to be miracles in disguise.”

Rin smiled to herself, nodding. “Okay. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Good,” Nozomi grinned. “Now hand me the rest your ‘mess ups’ and I’ll see if there is anything else we can use.”

“Okie dokie,” Rin agreed happily as she handed over the rest of the pile, feeling far more confident about her work.

Ten minutes later, Nozomi huffed a sigh of frustration and set the photos and her laptop to the side. She swung her legs over the side of the couch. She sat, arms out, motioning for Rin to help her up. 

“Bathroom,” she said simply, wiggling her hands. Rin chuckled as she grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet. 

“Thanks!” Nozomi was off in a flash, looking like she’d waited a little too long before getting up. 

“Somethings haven’t changed yet, huh?” Rin smirked.

“Nope!” Nozomi said as she shuffled quickly into the bedroom hallway and out of sight. “And it won’t for awhile, not until a bit after the little one is born! Just one of the joys of being pregnant and having a baby!” 

“Sounds miserable!” Rin called after her, hearing the bathroom door shut behind Nozomi only seconds later. 

“You get used to it!” The way Nozomi’s voice echoed off the bathroom tile only made Rin laugh more. 

“Fair enough!” 

Rin went back over to the pile she had been working on. Everything was finally in order on the poster campaign they’d been working on for a local Ramen shop; An account courtesy of Rin’s constant consumption of the porky, noodly deliciousness. Satisfied with the progress she had made, Rin finished arranging the last of the prints in the folder and returned it to its place in her bag, next to her camera.

She glanced over to the couch, the papers that had been left there across Nozomi’s laptop and nearby threatened to overtake it. Nozomi’s pile of work had been collecting since she’d been on bedrest but after that afternoon things were back to a more even keel. They’d prioritized a few things and knocked out a couple more by sending off some emails and putting together the final portfolios for the ramen shop and the travel company. Their todo list still sat on the arm of the couch, numerous tasks scratched off in the happy purple ink of Nozomi’s favorite pen. It made Rin feel good inside knowing that they’d been able to take a lot of worry off of Nozomi’s shoulders. A few hours work and they were back on track. But the mess they’d made in the process still needed tending to.

Once she’d finished with her stuff on the coffee table, Rin moved over to the couch and began straightening the piles next to where Nozomi had been sitting and she was careful not to mess up Nozomi’s ‘filing system’ as she did so. She knew from years of working with her senior how she operated. She was understanding and moved in and out of the flow of Nozomi’s style with ease. That’s what made her such a great ‘Lieutenant’. Rin chuckled to herself at the title. She’d always been fond of it. 

Halfway through, she looked to the right, spying the stack of miscellaneous items that had accumulated in the corner of the room since the last time she had visited her friends’ apartment. It wasn’t the first time she’d noticed the mess of things that day; the boxes and bags that were stacked precariously had caught her eye as soon as she’d stepped foot in the apartment. She’d been tempted to ask earlier, especially about the pieces of fabric and half crushed shopping bags strewn around the mountain of things in a very un-Eli like fashion, but Nozomi had insisted that they get down to work and Rin had put her head down and complied. 

But even as they’d worked, she’d found herself growing more and more curious about the things. Curiosity killed the cat, after all. So, finally, on the umpteenth time she’d stared at it, she finally decided to have a look for herself. 

With the paperwork forgotten, she peered into the open box sitting at what she had deemed ‘base camp 2’ of Mt. Stuff. The things inside certainly were colorful. She dug around inside, shifting aside several things, including a first aid kit, a sealed bag of cotton swabs, some sort of folded pad looking thing, a pile of multicolored blankets and several bottles of soaps and powders. 

She heard the toilet flush signalling Nozomi’s imminent return. She figured she should ask about it before opening any of the other boxes.

“What’s with all the stuff?” Rin called across the apartment, hoping Nozomi could actually hear her.

“Hmm? What stuff?” The sound of running water from the facet as Nozomi washed her hands.

“The stuff in the corner!” Rin clarified as she peered into one of the other boxes, though she refrained from digging. 

That box was filled with an assortment of baby clothes; some store bought, others carrying the signature style and stitch of Kotori’s hand. She reached in and held up a sailor suit onesie, complete with adorable red bow.

“Oh, that. That’s just our collection of baby stuff we’ve accumulated. There’s the gifts from the baby shower and then other things that Eli’s mom has insisted on sending. There are also a few things we picked up when we’ve gone shopping. The essentials.” 

Nozomi waddled back into sight, just as Rin turned around holding four bags of tiny socks.

“Why so many?” Rin asked as she inspected them. 

“Eli.” Nozomi sighed. “She apparently has a fear of the baby not having enough socks. So, she bought her a lifetime supply. Don’t look in the box under it, there’s more.”

“More?” Rin looked surprised. “But why--”

“Eli’s mom.” Nozomi smirked. “Eli inherited the fear from her family it would seem. Maybe its a Russian thing. It is cold there.”

“Maybe, but that’s still kind of silly.”

“That’s what I said. But at least they got different sizes for when the baby outgrows them.”

Rin nodded as she set the items back down. “Why is all this stuff in the living room?” 

“Well, we did have it all stashed away in the bedroom closest but it piled up. I decided that it was time to go through it all and set things up now that I’m on sabbatical so I had Eli drag it out so I could sort it.”

“Do you have room for all of it? Maybe Kayo-chin and I shouldn’t have bought all of that stuff for the baby.” She spied a box labeled toys near the bottom. It was much larger than the rest and had the remnants of the cat wrapping paper that Rin had used for the baby shower. 

“You want some tea?” Nozomi asked as she shifted her momentum towards the kitchen. “I can make some for us.” 

“No, I’m fine. But thank you.” Rin was still looking at the pile of things, scratching the back of her head. The boxes definitely were making things quite crowded. “I guess we got excited and wanted to surprise you but I didn’t even think about where you might put it all. Do you want us to take some of it back?”

“No, we love it. Gifts from our friends are always welcome.” Nozomi insisted. She went for the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water instead of the tea kettle. She was still feeling thirsty. “As for our apartment, it is small but I think we’ll manage. I’ve made some space in our bedroom for a crib but it isn’t here yet. Eli ordered it for me but she said it’s shipping got delayed so it isn’t here yet. I just hope it comes in time.” 

“Well as long as everything can fit and it isn’t too uncomfortable...oh, but wait it will be fine when you get the bigger plac--” Rin shut her mouth instantly, freezing in place.

Nozomi leaned against the counter, drinking her water. She eyed Rin curiously as she brought the bottle away from her lips. “What do you mean?”

Rin looked away and closed the box she had been looking at. “I just mean that eventually you’ll get a bigger place right?” Rin tried to cover up her mistake. “And then you’ll have plenty of room, right?” 

“Oh! Right. Yeah, one day.” Nozomi sighed, wistfully. Rin seemed to have avoided spilling the beans on Eli’s surprise. “But that’s a way off. Eli and I have been looking at larger apartments but we haven’t found anything that’s in our price range or suits our needs locationaly. At least not that’s in our price range per month. So, until then we’ll be here.”

“I get that. It’s a bit difficult finding apartments these days.” Rin breathed a quiet sigh of relief seeing that her slip up had hopefully gone unnoticed. Eli would have killed her if she had ruined the surprise of the new house. “Kayo-chin and I had trouble getting the one we are in now and that was a year ago. I’d hate to think about trying to move again.”

“Moving definitely isn’t ideal in any situation. But ya reap the benefits once it’s all settled and you’ve got a cozy new home, right?” Nozomi reasoned as she continued to gaze across the living room. 

“That’s true! I didn’t think of that. I just get so used to where I’m already living that I’m afraid I’ll miss it too much.” Rin went over to the couch and picked up Nozomi’s laptop. “Are we done with this bit? Just putting the rest of it away before I head out.” She asked. 

“Yeah, I think we’re all set on that for now. Thanks, Rin-chan. I’ll make a few last notes later and I’ll email them to you for the final setup of the final portfolio for the client.” Nozomi said as she began to sort through the mail that Rin had brought inside when she’d first arrived. 

She was convinced that they never got anything good in the normal mail anymore. It was all ad flyers or bills. The worst of the printed mail even if it was expected. 

“You want ME to finish that? Don’t you usually do that stuff?” Rin was puzzled by the statement.

“Well, yes, usually. But ya finished out the photos with your new shots and I think you’ve got an understanding of the project.” Nozomi continued to shuffle through the envelopes in her hands. “And Eli says I have a habit of hoarding some of my work so I thought I’d hand off this one to you.”

“Wow. Thanks, Nozomi-chan. That’s a big deal because they’re kind of a big company. One of the bigger ones we’ve dealt with, right?”

“Yep. But that doesn’t, Lt. Rin.” Nozomi turned and mock saluted her before going back to sorting her mail. “Because you’re the best person for the job---” 

Nozomi froze as her gaze landed on an envelope in her hand. The quality of the paper was nice and smooth, the stamp in the corner had palm trees and a sunset on it. The post mark hailing from somewhere in Hawaii. She felt her mouth go dry as her eyes darted to the return address in the corner. She felt her blood run a little colder - which was saying something because she’d been experiencing symptoms akin to hot flashes for the past two weeks. 

“To think that my photos are gonna be featured in a major travel calendar and campaign. That’s crazy, nya~” Rin giggled to herself as she slide the last of the photos and paperwork into their respective folders and bags. “You think they’ll want us to do anymore work for them? I really liked traveling over to Mt. Fuji and that area. I think Kayo-chin enjoyed the mini-vacation too. And you might get to go next time if it is after the baby being born. What do you think, Nozomi-chan? Nozomi-chan?”

Not hearing Nozomi respond to her question, Rin turned around. She saw Nozomi standing, her back to the living room and she seemed to be staring at something. She walked towards her, now worried. 

“Nozomi-chan?” Rin asked again, placing a hand on Nozomi’s shoulder. 

Reacting quickly, Nozomi tried to downplay her reaction and shuffled the still unopened letter out of sight and under some of the bills in her hand. “What? Sorry, I was spacing out.” 

Rin watched her carefully. “I asked if you thought that the company might hire us for more work in the future. It would be a nice steady paying gig if it was.” 

“Oh, right. Maybe. If all goes well. I’m confident that they’ll like our work but sometimes larger companies are fickle like that and may just want variety. We’ll have to wait and see, huh?” Nozomi didn’t meet her gaze as she continued to distract herself by opening the electric bill. 

“Yeah, I guess so...” Rin frowned. “Nozomi-chan is something wrong?”

“Hmm? No, just bills. Ya know how annoying those can be.” Nozomi smiled at her, hoping that it didn’t look strained. 

Rin nodded, but seemed unconvinced. “Are you sure that’s all?” 

Nozomi let her gaze wander back to the envelopes in her hand. The letter at the bottom of the pile felt so heavy. But she knew it wasn’t because of the paper it was written on. No, it was because of who had written it. She wondered if the paper smelt like her mother's perfume. Her mother always wrote the letters if her parents sent them. She felt her stress increase as thought about what its contents might contain. It’d been over a month since Eli’s phone call with them after all...

She shook her head. ‘No,’ she thought to herself. ‘No, I’m not doing this. It’s just a letter. A letter I have no obligation to read.’

Nozomi wasn’t going to let the have that kind of power over her. Not at that moment and not ever again. She could feel the weight of the letter in her hand, yes, but that didn’t mean she had to keep bearing that weight. she returned the regular bills and mail to their places in the organizer file on the counter and then held the letter in her hands. It was only a moment of hesitation, a single moment of what-if, before Nozomi ripped the letter in half and then half again and let its pieces fall to the bottom of a nearby wastebin. As it did, she felt lighter and smiled. It’d taken her this long to get here but she didn’t regret the happiness that accompanied the feeling of freedom from caring about what they thought.

As if in response, Nozomi felt the flutter of the baby’s movement in her stomach and chuckled.

“I know, little one,” Nozomi murmured to herself as she rubbed her stomach. “It ain’t worth it.”

“What is it?” Rin asked, still watching.

“Nothing at all. Everything is fine. Just a little kick.” Nozomi smiled at Rin again, and this time it was genuine, enthusiastic. 

Rin returned the smile, feeling a lot more reassured. Perhaps it had been nothing. And Nozomi radiated happiness all of a sudden and that was certainly a good thing. “Ok. If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

“So, does it hurt when that happens?” Rin asked, indicating the kick.

“Hmm..no, not really. A little sore if she’s overactive but it’s fluttery, or a little ticklish. Only from the inside, ya know.” she explained.

“Not really...” Rin admitted. “I have a hard time imagining what its like.”

“I imagine it is a little hard to explain if ya haven’t experienced it.” She shrugged, glancing at the clock. It was almost time for Eli to get off of work. She wondered what they’d have for dinner. Looking back to Rin, she asked, “Anything left to put away?” 

“No, all done for the day.” Rin said. “Already clear up the last of it, remember?”

“Right, you did.” Nozomi chuckled. Maybe she was a little absentminded. Her books called it ‘pregnancy brain’. She watched, though, watched as Rin continued to stare absentmindedly at her pregnant stomach. She waved a hand in front of Rin’s face until she got her attention. “Earth to Rin-chan. Something wrong?”

“Huh?” Rin blinked, then looked embarrassed. “No, nothing’s wrong...I just...well, I had a question. It might be weird, though.”

Nozomi tilted her head to the side. “You know me, Rin-chan. Always open to questions. What’s up?” 

“Well,” Rin seemed to be searching for the right words. After a minute, she spoke - albeit very quickly. “CanIlistentoyourstomach?”

“What?” 

Rin sighed, her embarrassment turning her ears read now. “Can I...maybe..listen to your stomach? Well, not your stomach, but the baby..inside the stomach...I mean...I just wanted to kind to know what it sounded like. Kayo-chin said that she read somewhere that the baby can hear most of what’s going on outside so I was curious if you could hear what’s on the inside too.”

Oh. 

Nozomi chuckled. Rin always was the curious type. Always wanting to learn new things - even if they weren’t book things. She was hands on.

“Well, I haven’t tested that theory of listening in myself but I can’t bend like that - at least not anymore.” 

Rin made an ‘ew’ face. 

“Don’t look like that.” Nozomi gestured Rin towards the couch. “And yes, you can. Come sit.”

Rin scurried over and both women sat on the couch; Nozomi sat turned slightly to the side. 

Staring intently, Rin seemed to be formulating a plan of attack. Nozomi watched on, amused as all-get-out.

“Ya can just put your ear up to it, ya know.” She teased. 

Rin pouted. “But I want the perfect vantage point. I might not get this chance again!” 

It made sense, Nozomi supposed. She felt another kick. “I’ve got an idea, why not listen right about here...” Nozomi took Rin’s hand and placed it to the left side. 

The baby didn’t kick again, but Rin seemed to catch on. She nodded and leant forward but found the angle a little too odd. She concentrated for a moment before crawling onto the floor and kneeling in front of Nozomi. Finally, she pressed her ear to near the apex of Nozomi’s round stomach. She was surprised by the feeling of it. It was firm to the touch, feeling the stretched skin under her shirt.

“What’s it sound like?” Nozomi asked.

“LIke....the ocean...well, a bit. It’s very soft.” Rin explained. “Swishy.”

Nozomi ruffled Rin’s hair fondly. Rin giggled, her cheek still pressed against Nozomi’s stomach. The baby moved again and Rin felt it this time. She smiled widely, looking amazed. 

“Hello to you too! Nya~” Rin smiled as she kept her ear pressed to Nozomi’s stomach. 

“I’m glad ya found what you were looking for.”

“Mhm! Me too. I’ll have to tell Kayo-chin that’s she’s right.” Rin sat back on her haunches and continued to look at Nozomi’s stomach. Her expression turned a little pensive and she frowned as she looked on. Nozomi couldn’t help but wonder what that was about. 

“Has Hanayo-chan been reading a lot of stuff like that? She did seem to be in the know last time she was over.” Nozomi prodded gently.

Rin nodded slowly. “Yeah, she seems to be. More so than I think she’s letting on. Or maybe she’s been researching on the internet. I’m not sure. But then again she does work with children for a living so maybe it’s that.”

“Could be.” Nozomi hummed. She patted the couch next to her. Rin took the hint. “What do you think about that, kitty cat?”

Rin fidgeted in her seat, pulling a throw pillow into her lap. She leaned her chin onto its cushy top as she wrapped her arms around it.

“I don’t know. It’s not a bad thing. She likes to read so that’s normal. It’s just the baby thing that’s a little odd, ya know?”

“How so?” Nozomi ran a hand over Rin’s back, scratching lightly, attempting to put her at ease. It worked as Rin relaxed little by little. She fought back purr in her throat. Ever the cat-creature, their Rin.

“Well, I think Kayo-chin really wants a baby.” Rin said quietly as she leaned more into the scratching.

“You think?” Nozomi glanced at her.

“Fine, I know. We...had a small talk about it. She mentioned it the other day. She tried to keep it vague but I can tell that she really does. When I go to pick her up from work sometimes, I’ve seen the way she looks at the children. She loves them all, treats them like they are her own, cares for them. And then as of late she’s been talking more about you and Eli-chan’s baby. She’s read all of the books and at first she downplayed it as just doing research for you but it’s gotten to the point where it clearly isn’t just cursory anymore. It’s full research mode, and you know how Kayo-chin is when she gets like that.”

“Oh, I remember. She wasn’t the president of the Idol Research Club for nothing.” She chuckled

“Exactly. She’s super interested which means that she wants a baby. But she won’t mention it to me. Well, aside from the other day and that doesn’t count.” Rin pouted.

“Well, what do ya think about that? Do ya want her to talk to you about it?”

“I’m not sure I’m ready.”

“Not ready to talk about it?”

“Not ready to  _ do _ it. I don’t know if I’m ready for kids. I mean, me with kids? Just look at me.”

“Rin, I’m looking at ya now and all I see if a dedicated friend and girlfriend to Hanayo-chan. Ya care deeply for anyone in your life. I think that makes you ready as ya can be and definitely worthy.”

“But I’m not much an adult myself. Kayo-chin and Maki-chan always say I act like a child especially when I’m running around. What if I can’t be a responsible parent? What if I just cause more trouble for Kayo-chin and the baby because of how I am? What I can’t be confident in that role? What if I just never feel ready?”

Nozomi’s hand stopped scratching. She patted Rin’s back gently. “Let me tell you a little secret of the trade.” 

Rin laid her head to the side and watched Nozomi. 

“I know I haven’t given birth yet; my due date isn’t for a few weeks yet. But from where I’m sitting I can tell that ya will never feel like you are ready.”

Rin looked confused. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I still have doubts. Even this close. Sometimes I wonder why I thought I could do this. I still have sleepless nights. And trust me they have nothing to do with not being able to find a comfortable position - though that is a HUGE issue when you’re the size of house.” Nozomi said, causing Rin to giggle a little.

“But you’ll be a great mom!” Rin said firmly.

“Maybe. But we don’t know that for sure.” Nozomi waffled for a moment.

“I do! I’ve seen you with everyone of our friends. You’re great at taking care of everyone and listening. I know that you’ve saved my butt more times than I can count with advice.”

“Thank you, Rin-chan.” Nozomi chuckled. “I think those are good things that I do as well. And I’m confident in some of my abilities but there is always that ‘what if’ in the back of your mind. I have doubts all the time but what I can’t let happen - and it has taken me awhile to learn this - is that I can’t let those thoughts rule me. I never would have made such great friends as you and everyone else in μ's if I hadn’t joined the group. I was scared, unsure, but I tried and I don’t regret it. I wasn’t ready to be an idol but I grew into it. Same with you. You made it happen. You learned and found what you were good at and in the end it was fine, right?”

“Yeah! It was fun. I didn’t know I could do that.”

“Exactly my point.” Nozomi ruffled her hair before placing her hands back in her lap. “You didn’t let those doubts get in the way. It’s the same with having kids. I have no clue if it will work out. But I have faith. Maybe not all in myself, but I have Eli by my side. I have good friends. I have books and advice from other people who have had kids but I’ll find what works for me and for Eli and our new baby girl who we’ll meet soon. And if it helps drive home my point even Eli was insecure about it.”

“Eli-chan was?” Rin looked wide eyed at her.

“Yup. She still is sometimes.”

“I didn’t think that Eli-chan was ever like that about anything.” Rin appeared to be re-evaluating her entire perception of her friend.

“Oh, she does. She can be quite insecure about a many number of things. She’s no different than the rest of us. So, if you are worried about being completely ready and want to wait until you know how to do things perfectly, take it from me - ya never will be. To being ‘ready’ I say phooey. If ya know you want kids, have them. Make a family if ya want it. If ya don’t, that’s fine too, no one will pressure ya to do it. But above all be honest. Be honest with yourself and be honest with Hanayo-chan. You’ll figure it out.”

Rin blinked back a few tears. Nozomi had said exactly what she needed to hear. She lunged forward, the pillow in her lap discarded onto the floor, and wrapped her arms around a surprised Nozomi.

“Careful there Rin-chan. Old pregnant ladies are fragile these days.” She giggled, hiding a wince as she moved Rin’s arm to another position that wasn’t pressing into her stomach.

“Oh, sorry.” Rin tried to pull back but was stopped by Nozomi wrapping her arms around her.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t get a hug.” She squeezed the younger girl to her. 

Rin nodded, letting the tears fall. “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Nozomi said softly. “I think I have some tissues if you need them.”

Rin laughed and nodded. She sat back up after a moment and Nozomi reached onto the side table, handing Rin the box of tissues. She dabbed at her eyes and they sat chatting for a few minutes as Rin calmed down.

The two women’s attention was diverted away from their conversation as they heard a jingle of keys. Then the apartment door opened and Eli stepped inside. She was wearing her blue winter coat and beige scarf over her work clothing - a simple grey pantsuit. 

“I’m home!” Eli called out without thinking to look up. She was focused on shutting the door behind her to prevent the wintery chill from seeping into their well heated apartment. She faced the wall as she slipped off her shoes and coat. 

Rin did her best to compose herself the rest of the way before Eli turned around. Nozomi quickly hid the tissues. 

“Non-tan?” Eli called again when she heard no response. She spun around and spotted her girlfriend and Rin on the couch. “Oh, you’re right here. Why didn’t you answer?” There was no malice or annoyance in her voice. It was all curiosity. “Hello, Rin.” She beamed at her.

Rin grinned at Eli and hopped off the couch. She came over to Eli and hugged her. 

“Welcome back, Eli-chan!” Rin exclaimed a little too loudly. Something seemed off to Eli about Rin’s enthusiasm but she wasn’t going to press the issue at the moment. She would just ask Nozomi later. “How was work?”

“That’s usually my line,” laughed Nozomi as she watched them. She winked at Eli, signalling her to just go with it.

“It was fine. Thank you for asking.” Eli chuckled. “My meeting was success. The client liked my final sketches and we’re good to move forward next week with the rest of the art department. But enough about me. What brings you in this afternoon, Rin?” Eli asked, patting Rin on the head in a somewhat fatherly fashion. 

“I just came by to go over some of the shots I took with Nozomi-chan. Gotta get the boss’ stamp of approval, you know?” She grinned, taking a step back and rocking back and forth on her heels.

“It’s true. Gotta please the boss lady.” Eli winked at her. Rin laughed more. “I take it that everything was up to your standards, Non-tan?” Eli looked over at Nozomi who was wiggling her way off the couch into a standing position. Eli stepped over to help her but Nozomi had already managed to push herself up.

“Good job, Nozomi-chan!” Rin clapped. “You’re getting better at that.”

“Ya have to get better at it when you’re the size of a hot air balloon, Rin-chan. Lest ye be stuck on the couch or in bed all day until your blonde knight in shining armor comes to rescue you,” Nozomi walked over to Eli as she spoke, emphasizing her statement with a kiss on Eli’s cheek. 

Eli’s dopey smile said it all. But Rin let out a loud ‘Awwwwwww!!’ that made Eli’s face flush crimson and she cleared her throat. 

Nozomi laughed before moving on with the conversation. “To answer your original question, Elichi.” She smirked. “I am very satisfied with Rin-chan’s work. In fact, I’m giving her a promotion. She’ll be head photographer from now on.”

Rin’s eyes went wide. “What? Really?!” 

Nozomi beamed at her and nodded. “Yup. Second in command! You’ve earned it Rin-chan.And I wouldn’t trust anyone else to help me run things. You’ve proved yourself to not only be an amazing sidekick, Lt. Rin, but you’ve also got an eye for new and interesting angles I wouldn’t have thought about. You’ll bring in a lot of business with that talent.”

“Oh!!!!” Rin rushed forward and hugged Nozomi tightly. 

Nozomi let out a sharp squeak when she squeezed too hard. “Careful there, Rin-chan. I don’t want to pop early because you were too excited.” she joked. 

Rin let go immediately. “Sorry! Sorry!” she flustered and tried to fix it but didn’t know how. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

Nozomi placed a hand on Rin’s shoulder. “It’s alright. I’m fine. But we can talk details later. For now, why don’t you go tell Hanayo-chan. And I bet you can even celebrate.” she winked. 

Rin’s face flushed hotly, making Eli look at Nozomi in question. 

“Right. I should go do that.” Rin composed herself. “I’ll be going now! Thanks again, Nozomi-chan! Goodbye Eli-chan!”

Rin rushed over and put her coat and shoes on before tearing off out of the door. It slammed shut behind her rather loudly. 

Eli winced. “She never does slow down, does she?” Eli asked shaking her head.

“Nope.” Nozomi giggled. “But that’s part of her charm. Speaking of charm, someone didn’t give me a proper greeting.” Nozomi tilted her face up towards Eli as she stepped closer and pointed at her lips.

Eli snorted but leaned in and happily kissed her. She did so once more for extra measure as she wrapped her arms around her. 

“As much as I would love to continue this we should changed and ready to go.”

Nozomi looked confused. “Oh, go where?”

“We’re having dinner at my families place tonight.” Eli looked at her. “You didn’t forget did you?” She nuzzled Nozomi’s cheek with her nose, keeping her close.

“Oh, right. It may have slipped my mind today while I was talking over photos and other things with Rin-chan. But I’m mostly presentable. I just need to change clothes and run a brush through my hair.”

“Same here. We need to stop and pick up something for dessert on the way there.”

“I could have made something if you had reminded me.” Nozomi pouted as she turned out of Eli’s arms and headed to the bedroom.

“I know but it is easier this way plus less work for you.” Eli followed along. “Speaking of being busy, what was up with Rin-chan?”

“Just a few worries, nothing big.”

“They all come to you for advice, don’t they?” Eli smiled.

“Sometimes. Umi-chan is more likely to talk to you and so is Maki-chan. They’d rather talk to their ‘father figure’.” she teased.

“Mou, not funny.” Eli said, taking off her suit jacket and hanging it up in the closest. 

“It’s true though. You’re more collected than I am when it comes to those things. I can’t blame them.” Nozomi said, sliding out of her sweater. 

“Maybe. So, are you gonna tell me what’s up with Rin or do I need to pry it out of you?” Eli tried again as she continued to change shirts. She stared at Nozomi’s back as she picked out a new shirt and sweater. A pale blue sweater over a white button down shirt. They had bought it a few weeks ago that would fit her ever growing stomach.

“Oh, now you ARE acting like her father,” Nozomi smirked at her over her shoulder. 

“Nozomi...”

“Fine, I’ll fill you in on the car ride. Happy?”

“Very. Now, let’s hurry up. You know my grandmother doesn’t like it when I’m late.”

“How could I forget?” Nozomi smirked but then did a slow spin for Eli. “Do I look presentable?”

“Beautiful as always.” Eli smiled. She’d decided on a green cardigan over her white shirt. Her work tie replaced onto its hanger. “Now, let’s get going. If we hurry we can beat traffic.” 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short fluffy chapter. But I wanted to upload something since I've been sick for the last week. More to come as soon as I can write it.  
> \---

 

Wedging the door open with her foot, Nico pushed her way through it and into her living room.

“Home at last,” She sighed, setting down her work bag off of her arm and clutching the bag of groceries in the other.

She’d taken the time to stop by the store on her way home because she knew that they were out of coffee and she knew from years of experience that Maki wouldn’t survive a single morning without coffee. Her girlfriend was a filthy caffeine addict and intolerable without it so she’d made sure she picked some up after the her split shift at work - that her good for nothing boss had cornered her into taking the day before. Yes, Nico was tired but it was a blessing to be home and she had the next few days off. She planned to do nothing at all. Even if Maki would be at work for most of that time, she was still going to make the best of it.

Her shoes were kicked off and discarded soon after, the small soles laying oddly in the middle of the entrance hall. If she’d stopped in the middle of her tired haze to look at the shoe rack or put her own shoes away she might have had a hint as to what she was walking into.

Nico made sure the door was securely closed behind her before heading down the hall and into the kitchen. Once the bag was out of her arms, she stretched and cracked her back as she began to wonder what she would make for dinner. And also try to figure out why it was so warm in the house. She’d need to check the thermostat for the kitchen.

“It’s my hospital...you’ll let the ducks work the reception desk if I tell you to let them work it...” a mumbled voice caused Nico to jump clean out of her skin.

Nico started to rush out of the kitchen but then a flash of red hair caught her eye.

“What are you doing home?!” Nico said as she stared at her girlfriend who was hunched over the table in the kitchen nook, sprawled and asleep over the top of her arms and the table. Nico’s voice penetrated Maki’s dream easily.

Maki jerked into an upright position. A line of drool had reached her chin and her face was a mess. She blinked several times as she tried to reorient herself to her surroundings. “Huh? What Happened?” She looked around wildly.

“Maki!” Nico stomped her foot on the tile floor. “You scared the crap out of me!”

“Wuh...scared you? You scared me!” Maki pouted as she tried to get the dry taste out of her mouth. “Why are you yelling, anyway?”

Nico narrowed her eyes at the redhead. “I was yelling because there wasn’t supposed to be anyone home. Why aren’t you at work?”

“I took off,” Maki shrugged as she wiped at her lip and chin. She’d finally noticed that she’d been drooling. She wasn’t embarrassed, though. It was only her and Nico alone in their kitchen.

“Of course you did...” Nico sighed and rubbed her forehead with the back of her hand. Maki did feel a little bad for scaring her, that hadn’t been her intent.

“Sorry.” Maki mumbled, fidgeting in her seat a bit.

“Good. You could have given Nico a heart attack.” She said, finally composing herself. “But the real question is: Why didn’t you tell me? If I had known that I would have had good enough reason to tell my boss to fuck off when he asked me to take the second shift because I would have already had plans. You really need to learn to communicate bett---”

She was cut off when Maki made her way across the kitchen and pressed her lips against hers forcing her to swallow the last of her words. She gave into the gentle kiss, signalling Maki to go a little further. She was already wrapping her arms around Nico and pulling her deeper into her. But Nico still needed a better explanation and she reluctantly pushed against her to halt her affections. She also took the opportunity to catch her breath.

“You didn’t answer my question...”

“The answer doesn’t matter if I’m here now, does it?” Maki asked as she let her hands roam under the hem of Nico’s shirt. Nico had a hard time arguing with that.

She was about to give in, in fact, until something suddenly seemed off to her.

She sniffed the air. “What’s that smell?”

“What smell?” Maki seemed unaware.

“You can’t smell that? It’s smells like...” she sniffed again. “Burning...”

After a moment, Maki’s eyes went wide. A visible light bulb of remembrance going on over her head.

“Crap, my casserole!” Maki shoved Nico to the side, throwing her off balance.

“YOU TRIED TO COOK?!!!”

\---

The drive across town didn’t take long. Nozomi and Eli had even gotten lucky and there wasn’t a line at the little bakery they had stopped off at on the way. They’d visited the french patisserie that Kotori had recommended in order to pick up the desserts for Grandma Ayase’s visit.

Normally, they would have gone to Homura Bakery for sweets, but Eli knew that Alisa, courtesy of Yukiho, would have the Manjuu covered so Nozomi had talked her into a large selection of the jam filled petit fours instead, each one delicately iced with fondant. And as a bonus, she’d purchased a box of Macarons for her mother. Eli knew her secret fondness for the pistachio ones, even if she would never buy them for herself. It would hopefully make up for Eli not visiting as often lately due to her work schedule and all of the doctor visits when it came to taking care of Nozomi and the baby.

As she raised her hand to knock on the door, she could only hope that her mother would take the offering without much fuss.

“Stop frowning so much,” Nozomi nudged her as she stood next to her, holding the smaller of the two boxes of treats. “It’s a happy occasion. Your Grandma is in town.”

“I know,” Eli shifted on the spot. It felt like it was taking her family an awfully long time to answer the door. Nozomi watched her fidget and chuckled. Eli always got nervous when visiting her family these days, she’d always had a chip on her shoulder when needing to prove her life to them - even though they accepted most everything she did with open arms. Even their relationship. Eli just put too much pressure on her own shoulders. She never changed too much from high school.

Nozomi stepped closer and placed a kiss on her cheek. Eli looked as if she was going to protest, even though they both knew the kiss was welcome. She brought a free hand up and shushed Eli’s lips with a finger.

“Calm down,” Nozomi said gently. “We’re in the alcove of the entryway and none of the neighbors can see us.”

Eli appeared to relax, but as she did she blushed. “Sorry, old habits die hard. But I still don’t want the neighbors seeing us. It’s none of their business.” She defended.

“True. But you have nothing to be ashamed of.” Nozomi stood back in her spot next to her. They heard the running of footsteps behind the door and they both straightened up.

“I’m not ashamed.” Eli grumbled. “But people can be so---” She stopped herself as she heard the latch on the door click open. She switched modes, instantly putting on her most pleasant smile for her family.

The door was ripped open and as it was Eli’s smile also faltered. She blinked and beside her Nozomi also blinked. Both women looked like confused deer facing a pair of bright headlights as they were faced with a very familiar head of ginger hair.

“Welcome, Eli-chan! Nozomi-chan!”

Honoka beamed at them from the threshold of the Ayase House, looking very comfy indeed. Eli’s confusion turned into a scowled. It wasn’t that she was unhappy to see Honoka; she loved her friend dearly but she was not expecting her to be in her family’s home on a normal day let alone a more special family gathering.

“Hello Honoka-chan.” Nozomi spoke up, seeing as how Eli had been struck silent. She did her best not to laugh. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“Hello! We were wondering when you two would get here.” Honoka beamed at Nozomi before looking back to Eli. The cold wind swirled around them, causing Nozomi to shiver. Eli noticed immediately and ushered Nozomi inside, pushing past Honoka.

“Honoka, what the hell are you doing in my house?” Eli asked, shutting the door behind them.

Nozomi slipped off her shoes and placed them beside the door. But when it came to her coat she struggled to get the right angle and got one of her arms stuck.

Seeing that she was having trouble, Eli stopped Nozomi from moving and handed both of the pastry boxes to Honoka to free up their hands. She shot Honoka a stern look of ‘eat those and I’ll kill you.’ as she went about assisting Nozomi with her coat.

Honoka was tempted to open the boxes and peak inside but she resisted, merely standing there and waiting.

“I came over for dinner.” Honoka said as she looked at them, proud as a peach.

“I see that but WHY?” Eli said, hanging up Nozomi’s coat before moving to take her own off.

Nozomi had taken back the boxes and was waiting with a smirk on her face. She always found situations with Honoka very amusing.

“Oh, right. Ahehehe.” She rubbed the back of her neck with a free hand. “Well, I was hanging out with Yukiho and my mom earlier and then I overheard Yukiho talking with Alisa-chan about plans for dinner and I asked if I could come. I was really hungry because I hadn’t eaten lunch, you see....” Honoka caught Eli’s glare when she turned around so she hurried up with her explanation. “So, I said it would be fun if I came and I kind of pressured her into letting me come BUT I didn’t realize it was a family dinner thing or else I would have just gotten a burger or something on the way back to Umi-chan and Kotori-chan’s place.”

“I see...” Eli pinched the bridge of her nose. She mumbled something that was distinctly not in Japanese.

“Well, the more the merrier.” Nozomi said, using a hand to pat Eli’s back. “Right?”

“Right...” Eli sighed, giving in. Honoka was already here after all. “But if you cause any trouble while my Grandmother is her---” Eli was pointing a finger at Honoka when a bounding blur of a short head of pale blonde hair interrupted her by slamming into her with a hug. “OOOF!”

A sharp inhale later, Eli found herself looking down at a pair of doe-like eyes that were just as blue as her own.

“ONEE-CHAN!” Alisa hugged her even tighter.

Eli winced, noting that Alisa seemed stronger than she was the last time she’d seen her. Or maybe it was because Eli had been distracted that she hadn’t properly prepared for Alisa’s enthusiasm.

Nozomi burst into laughter, her hands gripped the edge of the boxes she was holding tighter in an attempt not to drop them on the floor. Eli shot her a glare before turning her attention back onto her sister.

“Hello, Alisa.” Eli nursed a sore rib as she carefully returned Alisa’s hug. When Alisa took a step back, Eli fondly placed a hand on her little sister’s head, noting that her arm didn’t have to go as far down any more to reach her short blonde locks. She was still getting used to the fact Alisa was almost as tall as her now, even though the growth spurt had hit her sister at the beginning of high school just like it had done to Eli.  “I’m happy to see you too. And you’ve got a new hair cut. I like it!”

“Mhm! I like it too! Yukiho says it suits me. I think she calls it a pick-me cut.” Alisa grins proudly.

“I believe the proper term is called a ‘pixie cut’, Alisa-chan,” Nozomi interjected kindly. “But it does look cute on you. Elichi never wants to cut her hair.”

“Nozomi-nee-chan!” Alisa exclaimed, seeming to just notice her. She let go of her big sister and coming over to Nozomi to give her a much more gentle hug.

“I get it cut,” Eli protested, stroking one of the loose strands that lay across her shoulder.

“You trim it, yes.” Nozomi smirked as she her best to return Alisa’s hug around the pastry boxes in her hands. “But you never change your style beyond in a ponytail or letting it down.”

“And what’s wrong with that? I thought you liked my hair. And besides your hair is longer than mine.”

“But my hair has always been longer than yours.” Nozomi giggled.

Honoka nodded in agreement.

Eli frowned. She did have a point. But that wasn’t the point right now. She opened her mouth to respond again - before being cut off by Alisa who was completely ignoring their conversation as she stared wide-eyed at Nozomi’s pregnant stomach.

“You’ve gotten so big.” Alisa said.

Nozomi laughed. “I have.”

“When did that happen?” Alisa blinked at her.

“Probably in the last few months since you’ve seen me. It has been a little while, hasn’t it? You’ve been busy with college and we’ve had...other things going on too so. Keeps us all busy.” Nozomi patted Alisa on the head with a hand she had managed to free. She looked at Eli sympathetically. They had only told her family a little bit about what had transpired during that time. They hadn’t wanted to worry them more than they had to, only saying that Nozomi had to go to a few extra doctor’s visits.

“I know! It’s been so long. How far along are you now? Onee-chan hasn’t called much either and I feel like I’m behind.” She threw her arms out in frustration, almost knocking the boxes out of Nozomi’s hands.

“Alisa, be careful,” Eli scolded as she stepped forward to take the boxes from Nozomi so they didn’t end up on the floor.

“I thought I heard familiar voices in here...” came another female voice approaching from down the hall.

Eli stopped in her tracks and turned in the direction of the voice. She and Nozomi looked up to see an older woman who looked a lot like Eli walking down the hall while wiping her hands on the bottom of her apron. Her blonde hair was tied into a bun on her head but her clothing was designed for entertaining. It was, of course, Eli’s mother.

She stopped just a ways from them and rested her hands on her hips, looking sternly at Eli.

“Eli Ayase. Is that anyway for you to be?”

Eli blinked. “I didn’t raise you to make your pregnant girlfriend carry everything. Have some manners and take the boxes from her. She shouldn’t be lifting things in her condition.”

“Yeah, Onee-chan, you should be carrying them!” Alisa jumped in.

“But I was---I mean I was going to---” Eli protested but her mother had already moved towards them and had taken the boxes from Nozomi’s arms and handed them off to her, shutting her up.

“There,” Mrs. Ayase smiled at Nozomi and Eli. “Much better.”

Eli blinked again, her face full of embarrassment. She had been going to take them. She grumbled to herself while Nozomi tried not to laugh.

“Honoka-san, will you help your sister in the kitchen while I greet my newly arrived daughters properly?”

Honoka nodded and walked out of the room.

Nozomi felt her face grow warm and embarrassed as she looked away for a moment. Eli’s mother had always been so accepting of her even before she’d found out that she was dating her daughter. It was something she loved about Eli’s family, they were always so welcoming. She felt Eli near her so she leaned into her, making Eli smile. Eli knew how much her mother’s words meant to Nozomi - even if it had taken her awhile to get used to them.

Mrs. Ayase smiled at her oldest, fondly. “ _You look happy._ ” She said to Eli in Russian.

Eli couldn’t stop the blush on her cheeks as she responded in kind. “ _I am._ ”

“ _Good._ ”

Nozomi was used to hearing the Ayase’s mother tongue around her, but it was always amazing to her how they slipped in and out of Japanese and Russian so easily.

Mrs. Ayase turned to her youngest before shooing her out of the room.

“Alisa go join her. And go check if your Grandmother is up from her nap, yet. You can talk to these two later.”

“Alright, mama.” Alisa grinned and quickly bounded of after Honoka.

Even before Alisa was out of the room, their mother had stepped forward with arms outstretched, welcoming them both with great warmth.

She hugged Eli and then kissed both of her cheeks, squeezing just a little too roughly for Eli’s taste but she was her mother and couldn’t complain. It was always in good spirits and it was nice to see her, after all.

After the affection came the obligatory inspection. Eli stood holding the dessert boxes as her mother looked her up and down, making sure every inch of her was just as she last left her daughter.

“You look skinny.” Her mother hummed. “And you haven’t been sleeping enough. I can tell.”

“I’m fine. Just been busy with work.” Eli sighed. She knew this had been coming.

“Yes, but you get too busy and then you forget to take care of yourself. You can’t be doing that, my little bear.”

“Bear?” Nozomi laughed. “I haven’t heard that one yet..”

“Because she was so round and chubby when she was a baby.” Mrs. Ayase chuckled. “Though, clearly she outgrew that and became more of a swan than a bear cub.” She winked.

“Mama...” Eli pouted at being addressed like a child.

“And you have to remember that you are taking care of more than yourself now. Nozomi-chan here can’t be watching over you since she’s growing a little one.” Mrs. Ayase said, moving over to Nozomi and touching her stomach gently.

“Don’t worry, Ayase-san,” Nozomi beamed proudly at her. “Eli takes wonderful care of me. She just worries a little.”

“That’s our Elichika, isn’t it?” she laughed as she embraced Nozomi warmly. “It’s good to see you both. You shouldn’t be such strangers,  you know.”

“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been tired.” Nozomi said, sheepishly.

“As you should be, you’re gonna be a new mama soon.” She beamed at her. “I remember when I was pregnant with my little girl over here.” She jerked her head in the direction of Eli. “Why, I remember that she moved so much in my stomach that I thought I was being punched from the inside.”

“MAMA!” Eli whined. “Please no stories about me. This is supposed to be a nice dinner and I don’t really feel like being embarrassed for most of it.”

“Okay, Okay, but I reserve the right to tell Nozomi-chan all about it later.”

“I’d love to hear more about baby Elichi.” Nozomi smirked. The mischievous look in her eye glinting in Eli’s direction.

“Great...” Eli sighed good naturedly as she shook her head. “More fuel for the fire.”

“You love it and you know it.” Nozomi winked.

“I love you.” Eli snuck a kiss onto Nozomi’s forehead, making her grin.

“I’m so glad you’re here. Now, come in and sit down. Your feet must be killing you from my daughter keeping you standing in the doorway this whole time and not offering you someplace to sit.” She teased as she lead Nozomi by the arm towards the living area.

“Mama...” Eli groaned as she followed them. But her mother was ignoring her now.

“Everyone! Look who’s here! Elichika and Nozomi-chan!” She said to the house at-large.

Nozomi laughed as she was swept along in it all. It was always an interesting time in the Ayase Household.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a decently long chapter. I think I did everything I set out to do. It was self edited so I'm sure there are some minor mistakes still in there but I'm happy with it.  
>  I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think in the comments. I gotta go start on the next chapter. There is a lot of ground still to cover. 
> 
> Cheers, Friends!  
> \---

Leaving Nozomi in the kitchen to talk with her mother as they put the pastries onto a tray, Eli made her way through the house in search of Alisa and their grandmother. In the hallway, family photos lined the walls, each one pulling her down memory lane. She ran her hand over a few of the frames, letting herself smile as she looked at how the passage of time had treated her family. They’d always been a close family and she sometimes felt guilty that Nozomi had never had that. After all, Nozomi’s apartment had never had many photos of her family. They had always been of her μ’s friends. Eli was certainly reminded of that fact as she looked at her and Alisa’s baby pictures where they were being held by their mother and father. Each one of her parents were so proud of them and it was reflected in each photo of them together as they grew up. Eli couldn’t remember seeing a single photo of Nozomi’s parents with her that gave her that impression. They had always been distant, maybe negligent at times with their work, but Eli had always hoped that they cared for her, but she wasn’t sure anymore. Especially after her last few run ins with them.

She shook her head and dropped her hand from the picture frame she had been looking at. She shouldn’t focus on that right now. Nozomi and her agreed on that much. It was time to move forward. And looking at photographs wasn’t what Eli had come into the back of the house to do.

Moving on, Eli made her way to the guest bedroom near the back of the hall. The door was closed but she could hear the voices of two people within. She knocked gently on the door and waited until one of the occupants bade her to come in.

“It’s open.” Alisa’s voice came almost immediately.

Turning the knob and coming inside, Eli saw her sister busying herself in a suitcase, her back to a door. On the bed sat an old woman with long silver hair drawn into a neat bun on the back of her head, her shoulders adorned with a handmade shawl of browns and blues. The old woman watched Alisa with a fond expression before turning to look at Eli. Her blue eyes, even despite their budding cataracts (quite lucky, the woman would say, that she had gotten to eighty-three before developing them), still managed to sparkle with joy as she took in Eli’s appearance from head to toe. Eli always thought that her grandmother looked youthful, even with the wrinkles and laugh lines that age had graced her with.

 _“Elishka._ ” Her grandmother raised her arms from her seated position, beckoning Eli forward for a hug. The Russian language falling off her tongue with ease. “ _Come closer. Come. Let me see you better.”_

Eli stepped to her grandmother quickly and wrapped her arms around the old woman in a tight hug. “ _Hello, Babu.”_ Eli responded in kind, as she placed a kiss on her grandmother’s cheek. “ _How are you feeling?”_

 _“I’m as well as an old woman can be.”_ She patted Eli on the cheek.

 _“That is good news.”_ Eli felt the warmth in her chest bubble up at seeing her grandmother in the flesh after three years. _“I’ve missed you.”_

_“I’ve missed you as well. Tell me about how you’ve been. Your phone calls aren’t the same as hearing it in person.”_

_“Found them!”_ Alisa said as she came back over from the suitcase holding up a pair of socks and slippers. _“They fell down in the bag farther than I thought. I was helping Babu get dressed for dinner.”_

_“I like these slippers better. They have cushioning in them for my arches.” her grandmother explained._

_“Good idea. Mamas are getting a little old, even the guest ones.”_ Eli winked.

 _“Don’t let her hear you say that,”_ her grandmother chuckled as she took the socks from the youngest Ayase and set them beside her on the bedspread. “ _But it’s true. Thank you, Alishka._ ”

 _“My pleasure,”_ Alisa chirped happily as she stood near them, rocking back and forth on her feet.

_“I would have been out sooner to greet you but my before dinner nap ran longer than I had planned. I’m getting too old for the ‘jetlag’ as they call it.”_

Eli chuckled. “ _I understand. I’m always tired when I travel.”_

 _“Yeah, but you’re old too.”_ Alisa giggled. _“It’s expected.”_

Eli playfully swatted at her sister. Alisa dodged and laughed harder. “ _I’m not too old to hold you down and tickle you.”_ Holding up her hands, Eli wiggled her fingers in mock threat. Alisa gave a small squeak as she took a step back and ran into the bed post.

 _“As much as I enjoy watching my two favorite girls playing around, we should probably not take too long in here, huh? Your mother is working hard on dinner so we should get a move on.”_ Their grandmother took both of their hands and squeezed them.

“ _Yes, Babu,”_ Eli and Alisa answered in unison, calling a truce.

_“Hey Alisa, I’ll help her finish if you wanna go see if Yukiho and Mama need any more help in the kitchen. I’m sure Honoka is up to no good.”_

Alisa nodded and handed over the slippers to Eli. She gave one last squeeze to her grandmother’s hand before exiting the room.

Once they were alone, Eli kneeled down and set the slippers on the ground in front of her grandmother. She reached up for the socks that had been set on the bed next to her and went about helping her grandmother finishing getting ready. It was easier than letting the old woman potentially fall while doing it. She’d had been having more and trouble getting around after her last surgery.

 _“I think you’ve gotten taller, Elishka.”_ Eli felt her grandmother place a hand on her head, gently disturbing the hair there with her fingers.

“ _I hope not. I’m already too tall for most of my Japanese friends,”_ She laughed as she shimmied a sock onto one of her grandmother’s feet before switching to the other one.

 _“Being tall is good. It means you’re healthy.”_ She brushed off Eli’s comment. _“You are healthier here than you would have been growing up in Russia, I think. In many ways...”_

Eli nodded as she finished with the socks. She reached out, grabbing the slippers and setting them on the ground next to her grandmother so she could slip her feet into them now.

_“I think so too. I’m certainly happy here.”_

_“I’m glad,”_ Her grandmother patted her head once more. _“And you kept my alma mater open when you were just a teenager.”_

 _“I didn’t do it alone, Babu,”_ Eli admitted. _“My friends all helped. I couldn’t have done it without them.”_

_“True, but you were apart of it and you kept your promise. You always do. That’s why I’m so proud of you. Such a good, honest girl, my Elishka.”_

_“Thank you, Babu. I try.”_

_“That does remind me. Where is Nozomi-chan. I haven’t seen her in a very long time, either.”_

_“Not since that short work trip Nozomi took on the east coast and we took a few days off and came to surprise you.”_ Eli remembered fondly.

 _“That was a nice surprise. Not many people come to see me these days outside of your mother.”_ Her grandmother said, though there was no judgement in her voice. _“I understand everyone stays busy and traveling is difficult at the best of times. How is Nozomi-chan feeling?”_

 _“Nontan is well. You haven’t seen her since she’s gotten pregnant, have you? She’s a bit rounder these days. But she’s healthy and so is the baby.”_ Eli couldn’t help the adoring smile that crept onto her face.

Of course, her grandmother noticed. She always loved seeing her grand daughters happy. Eli especially after the sullener early teenage years that she’d experienced. _“You will have to show me your beautiful girlfriend and child to be, then. These old eyes could use some happy sights. Have you thought of a name yet?”_

_“Not yet, but we have options that we’ve talked about it a lot. We’re keeping our favorites a secret until the baby is born and I think we’ll decide then.”_

Eli rose to her feet, reaching for her grandmother’s hands. She tugged lightly and the old woman carefully followed her lead into a standing position. Her grandmother nodded at her words.

 _“Very well, then.”_ She smiled. _“Shall we join the others? I’m sure your mother and Alishka have dinner almost ready.”_

 _“In a moment._ ” Eli stood there moment doing her best to find her words. She licked her lips, feeling them parch under the weight of what she was going to say. She trusted her grandmother not to scold her or overreact. She was a gentle woman. But Eli was nervous nonetheless. _“Babu, I wanted to tell you something first.”_

 _“What is it, my little Elishka?”_ Grandmother Ayase squeezed Eli’s arm reassuringly.

Digging into her pocket, Eli pulled out her cellphone. _“I don’t have the ring on me right now, but I’m going to propose to Nozomi.”_

She turned the phone screen around so that her grandmother could look at a photo of the ring. She hesitated as she watched her grandmother inspect the photo, her hand holding the phone shook slightly. Eli’s sheepish expression and demeanor said more than words.. She was still a little girl when it came to needing her grandmother’s approval. _“And I was hoping that we had your blessing.”_

 _“It is lovely, Elishka. It reminds me of the one your grandfather bought for me. Though it has a larger stone,”_ the old woman reached up and pinched Eli’s cheek. _“You do like to spoil Nozomi-chan.”_

 _“Not so hard, Babu,”_ Eli winced at the pinching. Old people have sharper fingers than people think. Her grandmother let go with a laugh, leaving her hands resting on Eli’s forearms.

_“It is beautiful, Elishka. And yes, of course you have my blessing. Anything that makes you happy will always have my blessing. And Nozomi-chan is the thing that makes you that happiest.”_

_“Thank you, Babu.”_ Eli wrapped her grandmother into a tight hug.

Her grandmother let Eli rest against her for a long minute before patting her, signalling the end of the hug. _“Shall we join the others now? I’m sure they’ve wondered where we have gotten off to.”_

Eli nodded. _“Yes, let’s go.”_

Eli offered her arm for her grandmother and she took it. Eli grabbed her cane from beside the bed and handed it to her. Grandmother Ayase gripped the handle firmly before they set off back into the living room.

There was a loud noise that came from the kitchen as soon as the two entered the hallway. It was followed by the sound of Honoka apologizing profusely. Eli let out a long sigh, causing her grandmother to look at her questioningly.

“ _My friend Honoka is here too. Yukiho, Alisa’s girlfriend, let her come with,”_

_“Oh, yes, the loud one. I remember her. She is a nice girl.”_

_“Yes, but clumsy sometimes.”_ Eli admitted with a smile.

_“She is a good woman. Very honest.”_

_“Yes, I just wasn’t expecting her.”_

_“The more the merrier, Elishka.”_ Her grandmother reminded her.

 _“You sound like Nozomi,”_ Eli laughed as they rounded the corner into the dining room.

 _“I knew I liked her,”_ her grandmother smirked. _“And besides she is as good as family now too. Alishka and Yukiho are serious about one another, yes?”_

Eli nodded. They had been going out for some time. Even if it had taken Alisa until her last year of college to admit that her feelings were more than friendship. The Ayase women were a little dense at times.

 _“Then there is no problem. Let’s have a good meal, eh Elishka?”_ Her grandmother beamed up at her. Eli wondered when she’d gotten so short. Age does that, she supposed.

 _“Yes, let’s.”_ Eli agreed.

They walked into the living room arm in arm. “Looks who up, everyone.” Eli said, switching to Japanese for the room at large.

“Mama,” Eli’s mother smiled, stretching her arms out as she rounded the corner from the kitchen. “DId you rest well?”

“Yes, yes,” the old woman said. “It was fine.”

Eli led her over to the couch and gently helped her to sit. Her mother had already descended upon the eldest of their clan and was fussing over her. Eli and Alisa weren’t the only ones happy to see her. Eli’s mother hadn’t been able to travel to see her own mother for a while as well. The economy hadn’t been very kind. Eli made a mental note to transfer over some of her own frequent flyer miles to her mother’s account as an early birthday present.

Leaving her mother to tend to her grandmother, Eli wandered into the dining area. It was then that she noticed the little touches of decoration that had been hung around the house. A few green garlands here and there accompanied by red ribbons and winter ornaments. On the mantle was a modest tree decorated with tiny packages wrapped in glittering foil and ribbon, Saint Nicholas - the russian version, of course - accompanying them

Eli blinked and then ran her hand over her face as she groaned. It was a few weeks until Christmas. She’d completely let it slip her mind with everything else going on. Though, the deepening of the cold weather should have been a big clue to her. But now that she’d seen that her mother had decorated for the occasion she felt silly. She’d need to make a trip to shop for presents or hit up amazon. Another thing to add to her list of things.

Sighing again, Eli realized that it was no surprise that Nozomi hadn’t brought it up either. Nozomi had grown up not celebrating it as a child. Her parents certainly hadn’t been around to celebrate it with her. Eli frowned, shoving the thought away. She focused instead on Nozomi’s love of the more traditional shrine holidays, enjoying Christmas more for the commercial spectacle it often was in Akihabara during this time of year, but neither had gone out shopping and had missed it entirely. But there was still time to plan something small for Nozomi, so not all was lost. Eli smiled to herself as she began to plot for a small evening alone for them.

Moving on with her train of thought, Eli took a moment to glance into the kitchen to check and see if everything was alright after the crashing noise she’d heard from the hallway. Eli noticed Honoka was chopping a new bunch of vegetables, apparently having spilled the previous one on the floor - if the mound of dirty lettuce piled in the trash can was any indication. She was at least making quick work of fixing her mistake. Yukiho (as observed laughingly by Alisa) was already scolding her sister. Eli laughed and left them alone, though her stomach growled as she caught the delicious smells that were coming out of the kitchen. Her mother had made some of her favorites, Pelmeni and Solyanka, and she was eager to dig into the warm food. But that could wait for later.

Turning back to the dining area proper, Eli searched out where Nozomi had gone. It didn’t take much effort to find her. She was sitting in a chair at the far end near the windows. Nozomi’s had parted the curtain with a hand and was looking outside with a small smile on her face.

Coming up behind her, Eli leaned in to place a kiss on the nape of Nozomi’s neck. The act was received with the sound of a very happy hum.

“It’s lively here tonight.” Nozomi said quietly. Her tone was happy and she leaned back against Eli as she leaned over her.

“It is. Honoka definitely livens things up.”

“Honoka does add to it but that’s not all. Your family’s always so warm.”

“It’s your family too.”

“I know. I was just commenting on it. When’s dinner?”

“In a little bit,” Eli brought a chair up behind Nozomi and began to rub her back. “Just waiting on the salad, I think.”

She watched as Nozomi nodded and closed her eyes for a moment, humming contentedly at the massage Eli was offering her.

“Does that feel okay?” Eli asked, working her hands delicately into the flesh beneath her shirt.

“Mhm. I’m a little sore today. So, it feels extra nice, thank you.” Nozomi seemed at ease, but lost in thought. When she opened her eyes, she returned to looking back out of the window.

“Anything interesting?” Eli asked, tapping her lightly on the arm to get her attention.

Nozomi turned back, blinking a few times before smiling at Eli. She seemed like she was going to say something but decided against it. Instead, she pointed out of the window. “It’s snowing.”

Eli perked up, leaning forward and staring outside. It had started snowing since they had arrived. The delicate snowflakes were falling relatively fast already and the ground was turning white rapidly.

“Harasho...” Eli said, her childlike glee coming through. She wiggled excitedly in her seat, making Nozomi laugh.

“I thought you’d be happy, I know how much you love snow.”

Eli nodded and leaned in to hug Nozomi. “Thank you for showing me. We’ll have to make a snowman later.” She grinned.

“Maybe, if you behave.” she teased. “Though, I for one don’t look forward to it being even colder when we head home.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep you warm. It hasn’t snowed here in ages. It’s just been freezing.”

“Oh, the great snow woman, Eli Ayase is finally admitting that she gets cold?” Nozomi smirked.

“I get cold,” Eli pointed out. “Just not as easily as you do. They raise stronger stock in Russia. I can’t help that fact.”

“Well, whatever it is, I hope our child gets that trait from you because being cold is terrible.” Nozomi shivered slightly as the temperature from the window radiates into the room.

“Fair enough,” Eli kissed her shoulder gently. “But for now, come away from the window.”

Nozomi agreed easily and let Eli help her up.

\---

“So, you took off work just so you could attempt to burn down my kitchen?” Nico asked, incredulously as she tried to scrape the remaining ash out of the 9x13 pan.

It had allegedly been a chicken and spinach casserole at one point, or so Maki had claimed. Now it was only another dish to be added to the pile of dirty dishes. At least Maki had the the money and they had the room in their house for a dishwasher. It would at least cut the work in half.

“No, I was cooking dinner for you...” Maki pouted from her seated position at the kitchen island. She looked like a kicked puppy as she twirled a strand of her hair over and over. Her face was insecurity ridden. “It just happened to burn when I fell asleep. I was being so careful too...”

Nico sighed. Even if she was made about the ruined baking dish, she hated seeing Maki looking that way. She set aside the dish and washed her hands, drying them on a nearby towel.

“Babe,” Nico said, coming over to her and taking her hands, effectively stopping the nervous hair twirling habit. “I appreciate the thought but you do have to be more careful, especially after pulling three overnights. You could have burned down the house if I hadn’t walked in.”

“I know...” murmured Maki, she was looking down at their intertwined hands. “I didn’t mean to mess it up. I just wanted to do something for you. You’re always cooking and cleaning so I thought it would be nice.”

“It was nice,” Nico placed a kiss on Maki’s forehead. From this angle and with Maki sitting down while she stood, she could reach it easily for a change. “It was a lovely thought. But next time, get take out. Takeout won’t burn down the house or poison us like last time.” She pokes Maki on the nose, prompting a frown from the red-head. At least she was looking at her again.

“It was one incident. How was I supposed to know that the milk had gone bad.” she said her tone taking on a defensiveness

“It’s called reading the expiration date on the side of the jug. Or smelling it first.” Nico rolled her eyes.

Maki grumbled a bit more and Nico left her to it as she went back to the dishes. They both fell into a comfortable silence as Maki watched Nico at work. It had been a few days since they’d both been home and awake together.

“You’re starring again...” Nico hummed.

“You aren’t even looking at me.”

“I don’t have to be looking to know. You’re always staring at Nico.” She chuckled. “It’s because I’m so cute.”

“You are.” Maki affirmed, causing Nico to react with a sputter. Maki smiled and stood up, coming over. She wrapped herself around Nico from behind, stopping

“Maki-chan is unusually forward tonight. What’s gotten into you? I thought you were tired.”

“I am.” Maki nodded, her chin rubbing against Nico’s shoulder. “But I’m happy to see you. And we still need to talk.”

Nico stiffened a bit. Maki noticed and placed a kiss on her neck to get her to relax. It worked a little. Nico set the dish back into the sink, adding some soap to help the charred bits come off in the soak.

“Do we?”

“Mhm.” Maki nodded against her. “We were supposed to a few weeks ago but we got busy. I had to pick up that shift but I haven’t forgotten. I promised to make time, so when tonight became possible to trade with another on-call surgeon, I took it.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Nico lied. She could feel the pit of her stomach become uneasy.

She had been relieved when Maki had gotten called into work when they were supposed to have their talk. She hadn’t been ready. She didn’t know if she would ever be ready to have this talk with the most important person in her life.

“Nico-chan...” Maki prodded.

Her time to stall, however, appeared to be up.

“Fine.” Nico tried to swallow her fear. “You’re right. We do need to talk.”

Maki nodded against her again. Another kiss was placed before she retreated just enough to take Nico’s hand and lead her away from kitchen until there were at their couch. Maki sat Nico down among the fluffy cushions and instinctively Nico reached for the largest pillow she could find and clutched it to her. Maki watched her with some hesitation before sitting down beside her.

“So...” Maki began, fidgeting in her spot. She’d gotten Nico this far but still didn’t know exactly what they were supposed to talk about. Maybe she should have called Nozomi. Her friend seemed to know everything already and would have given her a heads up. Maybe. Probably. Nozomi was a mystery.

She looked back at Nico, watching the the smaller woman fight with herself over something. Waiting seemed to be the best option but she didn’t want her to suffer for longer than she had to.

“Nico-chan?” Maki place a hand on Nico’s leg. That seemed to help her focus better.

Taking a deep breath, Nico, at last, looked at Maki.

“Nozomi and Eli’s baby is arriving pretty soon, isn’t she?”

Maki blinked. “Um...yes. Her due date is at the end of the month. Why?”

Nico looked away. “I dunno. I’ve been thinking a lot about it.”

“Well, that makes sense. You are the Godmother.” She smiled softly at her. “Is that what you’re worried about? If so, you shouldn’t. You’ll be great. You’ve always been great with your siblings.”

“That’s not what I’m worried about...” Nico shook her head. “I’m...”

“You’re what?” Maki continued to prod gently.

“I’m been thinking about it because I was wondering what it would be like.” She shrugged.

“Well, I suppose it is gonna be pretty hectic once the baby arrives.  I suspect Eli will be a mess to begin with, all of her research and notes will probably fail her. Babies aren’t exactly predictable. Nozomi will be a lot calmer, a bit more go-with-the-flow. But that’s how she operates.” Maki smirked. “In the end, Nozomi and Eli will have to get used to not sleeping much for the first bit. But once Babies are needy and are a lot of work. They eat, sleep, and poop. That’s what they do once they get done being a parasite living inside the womb, sucking the life out of the mother--”

“MAKI, STOP IT!” Nico shouted at her, suddenly.

“EHHH??!” Maki jumped at Nico’s outburst. “What?”

“You’re just...UGH!” Nico threw the pillow at her and stood up, beginning to pace the room.

“What did I say? I was just answering your inquiry.” Maki felt bewildered.

“Yea, but did you have to do it like...like _that_?” Nico said, exasperated. Her face turned into a more worried expression.

“Why are you acting like this? I was just telling the truth.” Maki frowned as she watched Nico go back and forth across their living room like a duck in a shooting gallery. “That’s what babies are.”

“No, they’re more than that!” Nico insisted.

“Well, yes, but that’s what they start off as. What’s gotten into you? Why are you so mad about this?”

“Why am I mad? I’m mad because I’m trying to talk to you about this and you’re being...well you!” Nico insisted. “Can’t you be serious?”

“I am serious. I’m always serious. I’m trying to talk to you but you’re acting crazy.” Maki’s hackles were up. She could feel her face heating up.

“I’m not being crazy, you’re being insensitive. Can’t you see how hard this is for me?”

“I don’t understand why talking about Nozomi and Eli’s baby is so hard for you. It’s not like we haven’t talked about it before and it wasn’t hard then.”

“THAT’S BECAUSE THIS ISN’T ABOUT THEIR BABY!” Nico stamped her foot.

“THEN WHAT IS IT ABOUT?!” Maki stood, her fists clenched. She absolutely hated it when Nico wouldn’t just be straight with her.

“IT’S ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE A BABY WITH YOU!” NIco was at the point of tears. She could feel the wetness beginning to stain her cheeks.

Maki stood staring at her. Her mouth moving without saying anything. She was stunned to say the least.

“What?” she asked, quietly. It took her a minute to get her voice back. It returned but it was shaky.

Nico had turned away from her and was clutching one of her arms to her torso.

“You’re always busy,” Nico started again, very softly. “You’re always at work. And I get it, the hospital is important. It’s your family’s legacy. But I never see you. And sometimes I wonder if you prefer it that way.”

“Nico-chan, you know that’s not true.”

“How can I be sure, though?” Nico’s cracked. “I work too, even though you don’t think I should have to. But it keeps me busy and focused on something else aside from the fact that you’re never home. I thought when we moved in together several years ago that I’d see more of you. And I do. I get your full attention on the days we have off together but other than that we see each other in passing, in the morning and at night when one of us wakes up long enough to acknowledge the bed has moved while we were asleep.”

“If you were unhappy about it, why didn’t you say something sooner?” Maki asked, unsure if she should approached Nico yet.

“I don’t know.” Nico admitted. “Maybe part of me wanted you to miss me more and say something about it first. Part of me didn’t want to be selfish and demand you to cut back on your schedule if it wasn’t affecting your health. How can I ask you to stop aiming for a goal you want? Just because I want to see you more? Or because...” NIco took a deep breath, her shoulders having begun to shake under the weight of her emotions. “Or because I want to have a baby and you might not want to.”

Maki couldn’t take it any longer. Finally making her move, she stepped up to Nico and enveloped her in her arms.

“Listen.” Maki began. “You have every right to say that to me. You’re more important than any stupid job or hospital or goal I have. Just because you want me to take a step back doesn’t mean I can’t achieve what I want to. And you’re right that I’ve been spending extra hours at the hospital. I get carried away and too focuses sometimes. Hell, if you weren’t here waiting for me I don’t think I could do it. I might just stay at the hospital permanently and I’ve seen that play out in some of the residents. It doesn’t end well. That’s why I’m glad I have you to keep me grounded,” Maki kissed her. “And to love me and let me love you. So, if that’s what you want, then I’ll do it.”

Nico nodded, her fingers working their way into Maki’s shirt. Maki held her closer, if that was even possible.

“Also, don’t think you’re getting out of this so easy,” Maki said, firmly. “You’re to blame too.”

“What?” Nico sniffed.

“You have to be honest with me. I suspected that one day you might want to have kids, you know.”

“You did?”

“Yes. I saw the way you looked when Nozomi announced she was pregnant.” Maki recalled, softly. “You had this look in your eyes. Almost jealous but a soft, fantasizing, maybe. You looked like you could get used to the idea. So, I have to be a little mad you didn’t come out and tell me.”

“I’m sorry, I just didn’t know how you would take it. You hate kids.”

“No, I don’t. I’m not a fan of other people’s children because I’m not used to interacting with them. Only child, remember?” she looked at Nico, who nodded.

“How could I forget? You’re so spoiled.” she said, trying to regain her composure with the joke.

“So are you.” She leaned back to look more properly at Nico. “But I like you like that.”

“Same.” Nico admitted.

“Then we agree.” She smiled at her. “Back to the subject of children. I’ve gotten more used to them through having to work the pediatric shifts and getting to know your siblings when we were in high school and afterwards. You’ve made a huge impact on my life. I’ve learned to be more open because of you and I like the idea of maybe having one of our own...” Maki blushed heavily as she admitted this to Nico.

“You do?” Nico’s eyes widened.

Maki nodded. “Maybe not right away. I still have a few things to settle down at the hospital but as soon as that’s done, I’ll be ready if you’re ready.”

Nico looked like she was going to cry again.

“Don’t cry. Was it something I said?” Maki asked.

“All the right things, idiot...” Nico curled back into Maki’s embrace, hiding her face. “I want this, for both of us.”

“Me too.” Maki replied. “I want what you want. I always have.”

“Not always.” Nico pointed out. “You used to fight me in high school.”

“I could still fight you now if you like.” She teased.

“No, no fighting.” Nico titled her head upwards and grazed her lips over Maki’s chin. Taking the hint, Maki met her halfway, sharing a blistering kiss.

“I like this much better.” Maki exhaled softly as they broke apart. Nico’s eyes were half lidded as she went in for one more kiss.

“What about dinner?” Maki tried to fight the urge “We still need to eat.”

“Forget dinner,” Nico growled. “Is your phone turned off?”

Maki nodded.

“Good. Mine too. Let’s shut the world out for a bit,” she whispered near Maki’s ear. “Take me to bed?”

“I thought we were waiting on the baby thing...” Maki smirked. She couldn’t help letting a teasing tone escape.

“Shut up,” Nico tugged her out of the room and into a few blissful hours of selfish indulgence.

\---

With their bellies now fully of delicious foods, Eli and Nozomi enveloped themselves in the after-dinner warmth of the Ayase household.

Eli was on dishes duty with Honoka. From her seat on the couch, Nozomi could see her talking enthusiastically with their friend. Despite Eli’s initial surprise it wasn’t entirely unwelcome that Honoka was there. It only drove home the idea that their friends really were family, especially when their families intermingled through romantic connections. Yukiho and Alisa were cleaning the last of the dishes off the table. Yukiho playfully bumping Alisa with her hip when she got a little to close or affectionate. She was still young and prone to embarrassment especially when in front of Alisa and Eli’s mom who would take a moment to fawn over how cute they were. Yuhiko didn’t bask in attention like Honoka did and it was always amusing to Nozomi to see the differences in action so close to each other.

Nozomi had offered to help with the after dinner dishes but all of the Ayase women had insisted that she take it easy and rest on the couch. Having no choice but to do so, that’s where she found herself at the moment. But it wasn’t all bad. Grandmother Ayase had joined her and was sharing some of her crafts with her. That’s how Nozomi found herself with two knitting needles in her hands attempting the simple pattern that she was being show, the yarn stretching awkwardly between them.

“I don’t think I’m doing this right,” Nozomi laughed, looking at the uneven loops she’d created.

“You’re fine. Just more like this way.” Grandmother Ayase said as she took Nozomi’s hands in hers. “Loop around her first and then pull through. Ok?”

Nozomi nodded and was left to work on her own once more.

“I think every woman should know how to knit.”

“It is a handy skill,” Nozomi responded, focusing a little too hard on the stitches she was creating, her tongue was poking out through her lips as she worked.

“Yes, you can make many things for those you love.” The old woman reached over and corrected Nozomi’s technique again, untangling the last row she had made.

“Thanks. I guess I’m not very good at knitting.” Nozomi watched as her hands patiently fixed her mistakes.

“Nonsense, you just need practice. You will catch on.” She reassured her with a pat on her leg. “There is plenty of time to work on it. Especially with waiting on my grandchild to arrive.”

Nozomi grinned at her. “That’s very true. I’ve been a little bored since I haven’t been able to go to work.”

“See? It will help pass the time. How much longer do you have? Elishka didn’t mention the due date. Just that it would happen towards the end of this month.”

“That’s right. I’m still a few weeks away, doctor said it was right before the new year.”

Grandmother Ayase nodded, thinking about it. “That is very lucky to have a New Year’s baby. It will bring good fortune.”

“That’s what I told Eli,” Nozomi was making more progress on her knitting. It was even beginning to look like the shape of scarf. “But she’s never been one to believe in luck. She prefers to make her own.”

“That’s my Elishka. So stubborn but very hardworking. Just like her father.”

“That’s her. It’s not a bad quality to have but sometimes things are out of your hands and you have to go with the flow. She’s gotten better at it. I think that’s because she’s been hanging around me for so long.”

“You are good for her. I have seen it firsthand.” Grandmother Ayase was nearly finished with her knitting. She was just rounding out the end and tying off the loose ends of yarn. She had been working on a small blanket of blue and purple.

Nozomi nodded. The baby moved in her stomach and she set down her knitting needles next to her on the couch. She inhaled sharply, pressing the spot on the side of her stomach. The baby seemed a bit livelier that evening. Nozomi felt the muscles in her back seize slightly and she winced as she tried to get more comfortable on the couch.

“Are you okay?” Grandmother Ayase asked, looking at Nozomi with concern. “Do you need more pillows?”

“No, I’ll be okay, I think.” Nozomi grimaced again as she felt another pain and then the baby moved. It took another minute before things settled down. “Someone’s just a little active. It’s still an odd sensation to get used to and it can be a little uncomfortable sometimes.” Nozomi admitted.

“I remember. It is an odd feeling. But a joyous one, yes?”

Nozomi smiled and nodded. “It is special.”

“Very.”

“Are you two getting along?” Eli asked as she reentered the room, carrying a tray of desserts. Right behind her was her mother who was carrying a tray of tea cups.

“Yup, Babu is teaching me how to knit.” Nozomi showed Eli the beginning of her scarf.

“Harasho.” Eli said as she set down the tray of desserts, plates, and napkins on the coffee table in front of them. “Good to see you’re both behaving.” Eli leaned over and placed a kiss on Nozomi’s cheek.

“I always behave.” Nozomi smirked.

“Uhuh. Sure.” Eli laughed as she sat on the other side of Nozomi on the edge of the couch.

“Elishka, be nice. We have been very good. As good as we can be when relegated to stay out of the way in the living room by our relatives.” Her grandmother pointed out.

“You don’t need to be doing dishes. You’re a guest on this visit. Standing in the kitchen is hard on your hip, Mama. We don’t want anything to happen.” Mrs. Ayase insisted as she handed her mother a cup of tea.

“You worry too much, dócha. Doing a few dishes would not injure me.” The eldest Ayase insisted as she blow across the top of her cup of tea.

“I still worry.” Mrs. Ayase frowned.

“Save your worry for your children and your husband.” She waved off her concern.

“Cake, Babu?” Eli offered.

“Yes, Elishka, thank you.”

A plate of petit fours passed between Eli and her grandmother before she offered some to her mother and Nozomi.

“Cake time?” Alisa exclaimed as came bounding into the living area. Yukiho was behind her shaking her head at something else.

“Yes, Alisa, cake time.” Eli laughed. “Do you want some?”

“Yes, please!” Alisa joined her mother on the couch across from her.

“Yukiho? Do you want some as well?” Eli offered as she was plating Alisa’s petit four.

“No thank you, Eli-san.” Yukiho bowed to them. She still looked a little stiff. “I need to get going, I have an early morning tomorrow.”

Alisa pouted at that news. “Already?”

“Yes, but I’ll call you later. Plus, I need to get Honoka home. She fell asleep at the dining room table after the dishes were done.” Yukiho sighed. “Sorry for bringing her along. She begged us.”

“It is quite alright,” Mrs. Ayase stood up and came over to hug Yukiho. “She is welcome anytime. And so are you.”

Yukiho blushed and gently returned the hug. Alisa smiled at them both, her eyes sparkling at the fact that her girlfriend was so well accepted by her family.

Eli remembered that feeling all too well after her constant worrying about her family not accepting her sexual orientation. She smiled and jerked her head in Yukiho’s direction, telling Alisa to go on ahead. “I’ll save you some cake. Go say goodbye.”

“Thank you, Onee-chan.” Alisa nodded and hopped back out. “I’ll walk you out, Yukiho.”

Alisa and Yukiho exited the room, presumably to go gather up Honoka and take her out to the car before

“They’re cute.” Nozomi commented to Eli next to her.

“Yes, they are. I guess we are a family of high school sweethearts, huh?” She sat back on the cushion next to Nozomi on the couch and snuggled in as she ate her cake.

“It’s true. That is how I met your grandfather. I met him at Otonokizaka” Grandmother Ayase offered.

“And I met your father in high school as well, but he was too busy being at the head of the class to notice me until much later in university.” Her mother added.

“Wow, that is impressive.” Nozomi looked between them. “I remember Eli being like that when I first met her too. Very busy and a bit of tunnel vision towards her goals.”

“I wasn’t that bad.” Eli protested.

“Yes, you were.” Nozomi, Mrs. Ayase, and Eli’s grandmother said together. They exchanged glances before bursting into laughter.

Eli pouted. “It’s not fair when you gang up on me like that...”

“Yes, it is. Because we’re right.” Her mother insisted. “You get your workaholic-ness from your father. That much is clear.”

“Speaking of you father,” Nozomi looked at Eli, handing off her now cake-free plate. “Where is he this evening?”

“Work.” Eli shrugged.

“Of course.” Nozomi giggled. “I guess that proves that point. You’ve been working extra hours lately too.”

“I have deadlines,” Eli defended.

“You always do.” Eli’s mother chuckled. “And so does your father. He’s out of the country on business at the moment but he promised to be back in time for Christmas.”

Nozomi blinked. “Right, Christmas is coming up fast, isn’t it? I forget.” She said, embarrassedly.

“It’s alright. Not everyone here celebrates.But we are going to be having another family dinner on Christmas Eve.”

“And if you feel up to it, you and Elishka can join us for Christmas Mass.” Grandmother Ayase said.

“We’ll see how I’m feeling. That will be really close to the due date so the doctor may not let me out of the house.” Nozomi reasoned. “But I will try my best to make it. We also will need to go to the shrine around then as well. I’ve been wanting to place some Emas and just haven’t gotten out there. It’s a farther walk now that I’m rounder.” She laughed.

“Very true. Not too much stress, though.” Grandmother Ayase insisted.

“Don’t worry, I will be careful.” Nozomi agreed.

Eli put her arm around Nozomi as they settled into a comfortable evening. Alisa rejoined them after a bit and they planned their holiday celebrations collectively, talking about the present exchange and who would be responsible for what food dishes at the family dinner. They talked about how it would be the last Christmas that Eli and Nozomi had any peace to themselves; the jovial nature of her mother and Grandmother putting to ease some of Eli’s flaring worries bit by bit.

“What about your family? Will they be coming in for the holiday, Nozomi-chan?” Grandmother Ayase asked. “If they are they are welcome to join us. There will be plenty of food, after all.”

Next to her Eli put her arm around Nozomi and squeezing her close. She added some extra care by placing a kiss on her forehead. She looked at Eli and smiled a little sadly. She shook her head, signaling that she was okay.

“I think they’ll still be traveling, right Nozomi-chan?” Eli’s mother tried to help. While Eli hadn’t brought up the full troubles with Nozomi’s parents to her grandmother, she had touched on it with her mother when they were being a real problem. She knew what was up and was willingly to help if she was able.

“Yes, they are on work assignment. They’ll be in Hawaii for the holidays.” Nozomi nodded, regaining her composure.

“They are very busy, then. You think they would come visit since you are expecting so soon.” Her grandmother wondered aloud.

“You would think...” Eli grumbled more to herself than anyone else. Nozomi placed a hand on her leg and shook her head again.

“Is something the matter?” Grandmother Ayase asked as she looked between them.

“It is just...” Nozomi sighed and looked at the photos on the wall. She didn’t feel like maintaining eye contact with this subject. “They aren’t really thrilled with the pregnancy. They don’t ‘approve’, as it were.” she frowned. “They never have.”

Eli’s grandmother watched her thoughtfully. Nozomi expected more questions, but they didn’t come.

“That’s a shame. My parents were the same. They didn’t approve of my husband since he was Japanese. Bad blood back from the old days. But I was making my own family and that was all that matter. Your parents should be proud of you. And if they aren’t, then they are fools not to accept a sweet girl like you. And my Elishka is special too, they should be grateful you match so well. They don’t know how much they will be missing. This time is fleeting. Trust an old woman on that one.”

And that was the end of that. Nozomi felt the wetness at the corner of her eyes. “Thank you. That means a lot.” Her tiredness was catching up with her, she could feel it. And her lower back still hurt quite a lot. Eli picked up on it as Nozomi shifted more frequently, trying and failing to get more comfortable on the couch.

“It’s getting late, we should probably head out.” Eli suggested, catching on to Nozomi’s dip in mood. “And you’re pretty tired.”

“I am.” Nozomi smiled at her gratefully.

“So soon you are leaving. But that’s okay. We should have lunch in the next few days, Nozomi-chan.” Grandmother Ayase suggested. “I want to see you again even if Elishka is busy at work.”

“I’ll make time to come with.” Eli said as she helped Nozomi stand up. She ran her hand over Nozomi’s lower back in a comforting fashion. “Will Sunday afternoon work?”

“Yes, that will be good.” Eli’s grandmother confirmed and stood up with the aid of her cane. She exchanged warm hugs with Eli and Nozomi, bidding them well and a safe ride home.

Eli’s mother saw them to the door, seeing them off, and promising to stop by early in the week to help Nozomi sort through baby stuff and make a list of what they were still missing.

Gratefully accepting the offer, Nozomi said goodbye and Eli escorted her to the car.

Once inside the warmth of their car, Nozomi let her head fall back against the seat.

“You okay?” Eli asked, letting the engine idle for another minute.

“Mhm.” Nozomi murmured. “Just tired and a little sore.”

She intertwined her fingers with Nozomi and brought her hand up to her lips, placing a kiss there.

“You did well in there.” Eli added.

“Thanks,” Nozomi laughed wryly. “But your family is so easy because they are so welcoming.”

“Doesn’t mean I’m not proud of you.” Eli let their hands fall onto the center console, still linked. She smiled at Nozomi. “Wanna take a little drive with me before we head home?”

“Sure. Any place in mind?” Nozomi asked, turning her head to watch Eli.

“One place. I figured we could look at the snow and see if there are any Christmas lights up. Let’s make a little date out of it, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Nozomi smiled softly at her.

Eli beamed at her. “It’s a deal then. Buckle up. We’re off.”

Eli put the car into gear and drove out onto the nighttime streets. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, feeling her nerves start to get the best of her. She knew the perfect way she wanted to end the evening. She just hoped that Nozomi would like it as well.

 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's going down.
> 
> \---

Entering the neighborhood where their new house was located, Eli caught herself holding her breath. All of her careful saving and planning had brought her to that moment. All would soon be revealed.

The street was smooth under the car’s tires but the ride still felt bumpy to Eli as she drove the remaining eighth of a mile before turning onto the last street. Nozomi was looking out the window to the left while pointing out the few Christmas light displays that she saw. Eli nodded, making small, clipped comments on each of the ones that Nozomi was fond of before she would settle her focus back on the road.

Surprising Nozomi was never an easy thing to do, but Eli had managed to keep her in the dark this entire time. And now, she was going to show her what she’d been working on - she was going to show her their new home. It was the biggest gift she had ever managed to get for Nozomi and while she was ninety-nine percent sure that Nozomi would love it, there was the lingering one percent of uncertainty and fear that caused Eli to clench her jaw and her hands to sweat as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. 

Nozomi, of course, noticed the changes in her right away, but she had been hoping that the drive would calm her. Seeing that this wasn’t the case, she reached over and took one of Eli’s hands in hers. 

“Eli-chi.” She cooed before planting a kiss on the back of Eli’s hand. “Ya can relax now, ya know. The dinner at your family’s house is over,”  

Eli shot an unconvincing smile in her direction before looking back at the road. 

“Or is there something else bothering ya?” Nozomi watched her carefully. 

“Why do you assume something’s wrong?” Eli deflected.

“Well, we’ve been driving around for a bit now and I don’t think there are any more Christmas lights to see in this area. I think ya went in a few circles back there too,” She prodded at her lightly.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Eli tried to reassure her. “I’m just...thinking about things.” 

“Good things, I hope?” Nozomi offered. 

“Mhm. I think so, at least.”

“Care to share what you’re thinking about then?” She let their hands rest on the center console between them as Nozomi looked back out of the window and watched the scenery go by.

“I will in a minute.” Eli said as she slowed the car down to crawl. The house was up ahead, their porch light lit up revealing a festive wreath with a large red bow on the front door. “We’re almost ther--”

Nozomi’s phone went off. Then it went off again. And again. The sound of Eli’s own voice coming from Nozomi’s phone as it said ‘Harasho’ over and over. 

While Nozomi pulled the phone out to look over the messages that were coming in, she silenced the phone in the process. Eli used the distraction to pull into the driveway and shut off the car. Once she’d removed the keys from the ignition, she stared at her girlfriend incredulously. 

“When the heck did you record that?” Eli could feel her ears burn.

“I live with you. Does it really matter when I recorded it?” Nozomi smirked, clicking through the menu to get to her text messages.

“It matters,” Eli pouted, her cheeks feeling warm. “Besides, it’s a little embarrassing for me to be your notification tone. When did you do that? And how long has it been that way?” 

A smile danced across Nozomi’s lips as she refrained from answering Eli’s question. 

Eli waited, but no answer came and she doubted she would get it out of her. Instead, she leaned her head against the steering wheel and continued to watch Nozomi who was smiling fondly as her eyes darted across the messages on her phone.

“Who is it?” Eli asked.

“Rin-chan. She had that talk with Hanayo-chan.” 

“Oh really?” Eli perked up, remembering what Nozomi had told her about her talk with Rin earlier. Her nerves were a mess but she allowed herself to smile, wishing the best for her friend. “What did she say? Did it go well?”

“Mhm.” Nozomi grinned and showed Eli the messages. There were filled with exclamation marks, capital letters, and plenty of heart and cat emoji. Typical Rin; even a text message couldn’t dilute her excitement. “Looks like they are planning on giving it a go after the beginning of the new year.”

“That’s great news!” Eli beamed. “Tell them I said congrats. And that if Rin needs any advice to call me. Wait, no. Tell her to text me anyway and we’ll schedule lunch!”

Eli’s excitement was getting ahead of her as she began thinking through all the ways she would be able to help Rin as a co-parent to be. Nozomi could see the gears in Eli’s head turning rapidly. Her protective and enthusiastic sides were showing and it made Nozomi feel like she was falling for her all over again.

“Always the Papachika,” Nozomi teased as she tore her gaze away from the blonde and added her message into a reply to Rin. “I’m sure Rin-chan will appreciate it.”

“You say it like it is a bad thing,” Eli pouted. She looked away from Nozomi and back out the front window, her eyes focusing on the house. Nozomi still hadn’t noticed where they were and that was a little unnerving. She was so close yet so far away from the reveal. She stared at the door. It was now or never. She took a deep breath. 

Nozomi leaned over and gave her a small kiss, noticing the odd behavior again out of the corner of her eye. Perhaps her teasing had offended this time. That was never what she intended, especially when it came to Eli. 

“It’s not a bad thing. It’s quite the admirable quality.” Nozomi gently nuzzled her cheek with her nose. 

Being so close to Nozomi softened her nerves, allowing her to relax enough to gather her thoughts. This was a moment to treasure. Eli leaned into her and hummed happily, soaking in the moment like a sponge. 

Nozomi laughed, her breath especially warm against Eli’s skin as they sat there. The chill from the outside had begun to seep into the car. It was then that she realized that Eli had turned off the car. 

“Where are we?” she asked, letting her attention wander from their comfortable haze to the house they had arrived at; all of the lights inside were on. “Are we visiting someone? Do you need to pick up some paperwork from a coworker?”

Eli shook her head, but she said nothing as she unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled away. Nozomi was confused as she watched Eli get out of the car and jog around to the passenger side. 

Eli wasn’t in a hurry, but the jogging did help with her nerves.

She opened Nozomi’s door and offered her a hand to help her out of the car. 

“Eli?” Nozomi asked, looking very confused as she got struggled to her feet. Her lower back was killing her from all of the sitting. She hadn’t been able to get comfortable for most of the ride there. 

“You’ll see.” Eli smiled softly at her and began to lead her up to the front door. When they were standing on the porch, she handed Nozomi a cute raccoon keyring with a single key on it.

Nozomi was still looking oddly at Eli, unsure what was going on. Eli seemed eager and nervous all at once. It was unusual for the blonde. The last time that Nozomi had seen Eli like this was when she had decided to confess her feelings to Nozomi. It had been an adorable disaster, remembered fondly. But there would be time to reminisce later on. She searched Eli’s face expectantly.

“Open it.” Eli urged her, pushing her gently towards the door. 

Nozomi nodded and bent slightly to put the key in the lock, her lower back protested and she paused to wipe the grimace off her face. Behind her, Eli was wringing her hands silently.

Nozomi stepped into the house and into the  _ genkan _ area. 

“Sorry for the intrusion!” Nozomi called out of habit. No response came. 

Behind her, Eli let out a low chuckle.

Turning to face her, Nozomi searched again for a clue. Eli began to help Nozomi out of her coat. Once her arms were free, Nozomi crossed her arms and stared at the blonde. 

“Eli...what is going on?” Nozomi tried again. 

Eli hung their coats on the rack by the door. “Don’t be mad,” Eli turned back around and gathered Nozomi’s hands in hers, giving them a squeeze. 

“Why would I be mad?” 

“Because...well...” Eli looked past her and into the house. “Because I wanted to surprise you.” 

“Well, I’m certainly confused...” Nozomi admitted. She glanced around, searching for any other sign of what Eli meant. But all she saw were two sets of slippers, one blue and one purple, waiting for them and the light in the hallway was on beckoning them in further. The gears in Nozomi’s head were beginning to turn and catch up as Eli knelt down to help her slip out her shoes and into the pair of purple slippers. Eli followed suit with her own pair of blue slippers before leading them out of the entrance and down the hallway.

Eli was smiling more then, Nozomi noted but she only focused on her expression minutely. Her attention was on the house around them. It seemed to be unoccupied, but it was clean. The walls were painted a soft green, it reminded her of springtime. It felt warm, and homey even if no one appeared to actually be at home.

Watching Nozomi take it all in, Eli continued to lead her towards the kitchen, only stopping when they reached a position in the kitchen where they could see out over the open layout between it and the living room. Once in position, Eli circled around Nozomi and hugged her from behind. 

“There. Now, just look a little bit closer,” Eli murmured in her ear. 

Doing as she was told, Nozomi looked around the room, seeing only a handful of items in the kitchen; it was mostly barren and unlived in aside from what looked like a few bottles of water on the counter and a box of snack crackers that had been opened. There was a towel laid out on the counter too, where some glasses were sitting having long since dried after their washing. 

She looked into the living room, a small couch was set up against the visible wall; a few pillows arranged on its cushions, making it look comfortable. Then she saw something hanging on the wall above it, the letters on the fabric were cross-stitched by a very steady and familiar hand. It was neat and precise. Each purple and blue letter purposefully places within the ring of handsewn lilies upon it.

It read: ‘ _ Home Sweet Home’  _

It was then that all the pieces fell into place. 

Nozomi gasped. Her entire system becoming overwhelmed as she felt her knees go weak. She was at a loss for words realizing what Eli had done. Feeling Nozomi tremble in her arms, Eli steadied her against her body, holding her upright. 

Nozomi felt the baby shift, a small pain adding itself to the feeling and she inhaled sharply again. She felt lightheaded and unsteady but Eli didn’t waver with her grip. She held her tight. That certainly felt weird.

When it had passed, she focused in on Eli who was pressing a gentle kiss against the soft of her neck.

“Welcome Home.” She whispered, the hope in her voice lingering against Nozomi’s skin. “I know it’s a lot to take in. I just hope you like it...”

At her words, Nozomi burst into tears, her body shaking against Eli as she held her.

“Don’t cry!” Eli urged, trying to reassure her. She felt her heart breaking, a frown adorning her face. “If you don’t like the paint or the carpet we can change that. But I thought it would be a great home for us. We can change anything you like...I’m sorry--”

Nozomi spun around, holding a finger to Eli’s lips and stopping her from talking. “Idiot.” 

Eli searched her expression. But Nozomi smiled through her tears. Eli felt relieved and she brought her hand up and brushed the waterworks away as gently as she could. “I don’t have a handkerchief, I’m sorry.” She murmured. 

Nozomi shook her head and laid it against Eli’s shoulder. “It’s fine,” she laughed, the sound of her voice throaty.

“So...” Eli ran her hands across Nozomi’s back as she quieted. “Does that mean you do like it?”

“I love it,” she nodded vigorously. “How could I not? It’s wonderful. But I have to ask, when did ya have time to do this? And how did you keep it from me?”

“Well, it wasn’t easy. You tend to know what’s going on before anyone else does.” She mused with a smile. “An annoying quality if I do say so myself.” Eli punctuated this statement with a boop to Nozomi’s nose.

“Hmm, true.” Nozomi giggled

“But with everything going on you’ve been distracted and while I hated that it was all happening it certainly helped me keep a secret.” Eli squeezed her tightly as they swayed in place. “As for when I did it, I, uh, I ‘worked’ a lot of late nights. Just not all of them were at the office...” she admitted sheepishly.  

“And ya managed not to give yourself away this whole time? I’m impressed. Maybe ya really are the cute and clever Elichika.” Nozomi laughed.

“I wasn’t before?” Eli teased. 

“Hmm. A bit. Ya certainly had the cute part down.” Nozomi looked up at her and placed her hand on her cheek. “But I was wondering why your boss was keeping ya late every night for a while. Especially since you said things were calming down with your account,” Nozomi hummed. 

“Yeah, it was hard. I kept getting excited about the place because I wanted you to see it.” Eli laughed as she leaned into Nozomi’s hand. “But in the end I managed and now you’ve seen it and I’m so happy you love it.”

“Of course I love it! It’s from you. Did you also paint the living room?” She asked.

“I did.” Eli beamed at her. 

“What color is that anyway?” Nozomi looked at the walls, a mischievous glint in her eye.

“Um...green?” Eli offered.

“Hmm...seems more like  _ Kashikoi Kiwi _ to me...” 

Eli blinked twice. “I...what?”

Nozomi burst into laughed at her expression, clutching her belly. Eli caught the joke a second later, her face splitting into an embarrassed grin as she recognized the trace of her own idol catchphrase. She ruffled the top of Nozomi’s hair. 

“You’re so funny, aren’t you?”

“I try.” Nozomi grinned at her as she caught her breath. She hunched forward slightly, holding her back. 

“Well, it works.”

“I am proud of ya,” Nozomi kissed her on the cheek, standing on her tiptoes for a moment to partake of the gesture. 

Eli blushed.

“So handy. I think I’ll keep ya around.” Nozomi teased.

“Well, I hope so!” Eli nudged her. “But I still need to give you the rest of the tour. And I have one more surprise to show you.”

Nozomi looked at her curiously, wondering how things could get any better than the surprise she had already been given.

Taking Nozomi’s hand in hers, she began to lead her out of the living room. 

\---

Left behind on the seat of the car, Nozomi’s phone vibrated loudly against the fabric. It buzzed and buzzed through multiple call attempts, the unknown number the only thing coming across the lit up screen before it finally fell silent and fell onto the floor underneath the seat and out of sight.

“She’s not picking up.” a woman’s voice said. She was sitting next to her husband in the lobby of the airport.

“Well, try again.” The man next to her said.

“I tried four times already. That... _ friend of hers _ ,” the woman’s voice was filled with disgust as she said it. “Is probably keeping her from answering. I even tried an unknown number this time thinking she might answer.”

“Well, we’ll just have to keep trying.”

“Or just drop by then her  _ friend _ can’t say anything. She can’t stop us from seeing our own daughter.” The woman nodded, beginning to plan her next move.

\---

“How exciting! We’ll finally have a proper laundry room and new washing machine.” Nozomi clapped her hands as she headed out of the small room. They’d already visited the bathrooms, the kitchen (properly this time), and one of the smaller bedrooms. 

“It is quite the step up, I agree.” Eli chuckled. “I didn’t think that would be what you would be excited about. I figured it would be about how the place is a lot bigger than our apartment.” She flipped the lights off in the laundry room as Nozomi leaned against the wall, resting. “You’ll even have a full office for your business needs. You can set up a small dark room in there too if you like.”

Nozomi’s eyes were closed. Eli didn’t know if she had heard her.

“Nontan?” 

“Hmm?” Nozomi looked up at her, her hand rubbing the side of her stomach. 

“Did you hear what I said?” 

“About the home office? Yes. I heard. I’ll have to make some plans for how I want to set it up. Rin and I won’t have to hog the living room with our meetings anymore.” She smirked.

“That is a bonus!” Eli acknowledged, remembering that there were some nights where she hadn’t been able to use the living room when Rin and Nozomi had planning meeting late into the night. “Alright. Next stop, the bedroom!” 

Eli pulled her along once more. 

“Elichi is always eager to get me into the bedroom...” Nozomi teased, but her expression flickered into a pained one as another sensation passed. She stuttered in her step but not long enough for Eli to notice. She told herself it was just a small pain. Probably from sitting oddly or something. She did get tired easily and this should pass soon.

“Ha ha. Very funny. Better keep the innuendo to a minimum. Remember what Hanayo said, the baby can hear you.” Eli pointed out as they rounded the corner into the large master bedroom.

“So strict. Besides, I’m sure the baby could hear ya the last time we---”

“AND THIS IS OUR BEDROOM.” Eli said loudly.

Nozomi laughed but she looked around the room which she’d been brought. 

The room was a light blue with white trim. It was soft and calming. A theme with the house, it seemed. The windows near the far end were large and heavy, light blocking curtains in a slightly darker blue. There wasn’t any furniture in the room yet, but it was carpeted which meant the floor wouldn’t be cold in the winter.

Walking around the room, Nozomi got a feel for the space. “Our bed will fit nicely in here. And the closest is definitely bigger than our one at home. We might even be able to fit your all of our stuff in there instead of having part of it in the hall closet.”

“That was one of things I liked about it. It was spacious while not being extravagant.” Eli watched as Nozomi slide open the closet and took a look around. The shelves were sturdy and there was room to hang clothing up. Eli’s jackets would fit nicely in there.

“And, I think there is more than enough room to set up the crib in here without tripping over ourselves. If it ever arrives.” Nozomi muttered, still sore about the lack of on time delivery. She came back over to Eli and placed a hand on her arm affectionately. “Ya really did think everything through.” 

“I tried,” Eli said, quietly. “But there’s one last thing.”

“What is it? I thought the surprise was the built in dryer.”

“Nope. Something a bit more. C’mon. Last room.” Eli gestured to the other door in the room, beckoning her to open it. 

Once through the door, Nozomi stopped in her tracks, finding herself speechless for the second time that night as she took in the sight before her. 

The nursery was cozy and bright. The butter yellow of the walls standing out against the darker wood of the crib and changing table that were arranged nearby. Behind the crib and wrapping around the walls for a length was the large tree that Eli had painted. Each branch and flower petal longingly painted and highlighted making them pop to the eye. Nozomi walked to the wall and placed her hand on it, feeling the paint beneath her fingers as she walked along. She stopped at the crib and looked at the cutely decorated sheets and bumper set in the crib. A few stuffed animals were lining the crib already, just waiting happily for the baby to come along and join them. 

Eli leaned against the doorframe committing the sight to memory as Nozomi walked the room. She stopped once more at the rocking chair next to a small bookshelf.

“How?” Nozomi asked at last. Her voice crackled with the threat of tears. 

“I told you I worked late a lot.” Eli grinned. “Oh, and also you can thank Umi and Maki for helping me put that thing together. Those instructions were a bitch.” She pointed at the crib.

“Yes, but this...” Nozomi said, catching sight of a collage of photos in a frame. It showed Nozomi and Eli at each stage of the pregnancy, beginning with an ecstatic Eli, embracing Nozomi from behind in a selfie. That had been the day that Nozomi had told Eli that her pregnancy test had been positive. They were both radiating happiness. The last photo in the set was from a few weeks before, Eli had her ear lying against Nozomi’s stomach, a wide smile on her face as Nozomi ran her hands through Eli’s hair. She looked content. It reminded her of the moment she was in right then.

“It’s too much.” Nozomi’s voice wavered again as she looked directly into Eli’s eyes. Tears again. She cursed them but she couldn’t help it. Stupid hormones. “It’s perfect. I don’t deserve this.”

“No, it’s not. It’s just enough. Always enough for you. Even if you think it is too much.” Eli smiled softly at her. “You deserve the world and so does our baby.”

Eli swallowed as Nozomi cried happy tears again. She wanted to go to her and hug her but there was one more thing she needed to do. She looked over to a shelf, spotting a small purple raccoon plushie. Finally trusting her legs to carry her there, she swallowed her nerves and walked over, grabbing the stuffed raccoon. 

Nozomi watched her as she approached and extended the plushie to her. She took it, wrapping her fingers around it delicately. “For me? It’s so cute.” She gave it a watery smile.

Eli stood in front of her, watching expectantly. “It is. But there’s more. Open the back of it.”

Quirking an eyebrow, Nozomi turned the small toy around and saw that it had a slit in the fabric on its back that was held closed. She used her fingers to pry it open, the sharp  _ schick _ of the velcro sounded as it came apart. Inside the compartment was a small velvet covered box. Her eyes darted up to Eli in question.

“Go ahead.” Eli nudged her. 

Nozomi took out the box, feeling her hand shaking as she did. It was light but somehow heavy and fate-filled. She took a moment to look at the box before she opened it up. 

Her hand went straight to her mouth to cover the sound of surprise that escaped her mouth. This was a bigger shock than the house had been. She and Eli had talked about it plenty of times but the cons of it had always stopped them. They had dreamed about doing this one day but that day always seemed so far off. 

So, needless to say, Nozomi was truly surprised as she stared down at the white gold ring in the box. In the center of the band, an oval cut, clear diamond was set. Just on either side of the center stone were two smaller, heart cut diamonds, one tinted azure blue, one tinted lilac. All of the stones caught the light as Nozomi rotated the box.

“Eli I---”

Eli shushed her, causing Nozomi to look away from the ring in her hands. Her eyes didn’t find Eli at first. She looked around and finally down where she saw Eli kneeling in front of her. The blonde took the box and stuffed animal from Nozomi’s hands. She set the stuffed animal on the chair nearby. 

“Nozomi...” Eli began as she took the ring from the box. She fidgeted with it trying to find the words she had practiced so many times over the course of the last few days. 

“Nozomi, we’ve been with each other for years. We’ve been together, really, since they day that you approached me after class. I remember doing my best to ignore all of my classmates, stubborn as I was and focused on my goal of keeping the school open, I didn’t think I needed anyone near me. They didn’t understand who I was because they only saw my eyes and my hair. They wanted to get to know me because they thought I would be popular and somehow elevate their status. So, I ignored them. I even ignored you at first even though you weren’t like that. But you made sure that it didn’t last long.” Eli chuckled as she recalled the memory of that day. 

“I still remember turning back to look at you as you called out my name. You were standing on the stairs, looking desperate for a split second before I acknowledged you and then you regained your bearings. I asked who you were and you smiled. You smiled that dazzling smile of yours that I’ve gotten so used to seeing now. And I admit being irritated that you’d stopped me but there was something about you. I remember being intrigued by you; your spirit and your smile. Who was this girl that was calling out to me?” Eli took Nozomi’s hand, rubbing the back of it with her thumb. She felt Nozomi tense slightly but she continued on without looking at her face. She thought she might lose her nerve if she did and she wanted to do this right.

“From there, I only got to know you better. You pulled me out of my shell little by little and suddenly I couldn’t imagine going a day without speaking to you or seeing you. You became my best friend. You still are my best friend and we’ve done each other so much good in each day that has passed. You encouraged me to have more faith in my dreams, to reach for them. I became kinder and not as cold. Without you, I would never have joined μ's. I never would have made the incredible friends that I have today and I never would have had the life I have today if it wasn’t for you.

“When high school was coming to an end I remember being scared that I would leave behind all of my friends. That everything I had created would disappear once that diploma was in my hand. That I would lose them and even worse, I would lose you. But that wasn’t the case. You stayed by my side. We made it work. We stayed in touch with all of the μ's girls, becoming even closer if that was possible and I made sure that not much time went by without making sure I could see you or talk to you.

“And I finally, after what felt like an eternity, I came to my senses and told you how I really felt. It was the day that you said yes to being my girlfriend that I think I really became alive. That day I became really my true self when I knew that you loved me back. It made me feel like I was flying. I didn’t think I could be happier.

“But then we grew up even more together, got through college together, got adult jobs together, moved into our first, second and third apartments together. And now we’re gonna have our first house. Plus we have our little one on the way.” Eli’s heart felt like it was overflowing along with the words spilling from her mouth.

“We’ve had our fights as we do but it’s been those that have made us stronger. I can’t imagine my life without you, my darling Nontan. You make me better, but that’s because you make me want to be better for you. And only for you. You’re my heart. My Spiritual Power that I use to get through my days. And I’m always happy to come home to you. To talk to you, to hear you laugh, to hear you tell stories of how your day went.

“I’m happy with you and my love for you grows more and more each year, each day, each moment I spend with you.

“And my family loves you too. Alisa thinks of you as her older sister. And my mom and grandmother adore you. I wondered when I told them about us whether they would accept you and accept me. But I never had anything to worry about because they loved you instantly. I sometimes think that it is because it was you that they were so okay with it. You’re special, Nontan. And hell, sometimes I think they like you more than me,” Eli laughed. “But my point is that they accept you wholeheartedly as their family, as my family. They have always liked you and they want us to be happy. I know your parents haven’t been the greatest about us or about anything but know that my family is your family and you have me whenever you need it. Never doubt that.

“You are a beautiful and caring person and have always been there for me one hundred percent of the way, through the bad times and the good times. And I only hope I’ve been able to be there for you as well. It is now that I want you to know that I’ll always be here for you. No matter what. I love you more than I can say. And now we are expecting our first child which brings in a whole new joy that I cannot express.”

“And with that I guess I’ll get to the point. Nozomi Tojo,” Eli brought the ring up to the hand of Nozomi’s that she was still gripping. She hovered just near Nozomi’s ring finger and waited. She licked her lips, wetting them so she could continue. She looked up into Nozomi’s eyes, searching the turquoise; all of her hopes and fears hinged on this moment. 

“What do you say, Nontan? Will you make me the happiest woman alive and do me the honor of being my wife?” Eli swallowed, giving Nozomi her best smile. 

The silence that passed between the two women was deafening. Beads of cold sweat formed on Eli’s forehead and neck as she waited for Nozomi to answer. But the silence continued for another minute.

“Nozomi?” She asked again, doing her best to remain calm. She couldn’t properly read the expression on her girlfriends face. It was shocked, her eyes brows furrowed in concentration, her face almost stricken. Her eyes were cloudy. Again, there was no answer. There was only the loud breathing of both women filling the room.

Was she going to say no?

Eli’s hands started to shake and she moved them away from Nozomi as she felt her whole self begin to deflate. She’d expected that Nozomi would say yes, no matter what her doubts said. They’d had a good life together. They were happy together - weren’t they? 

She thought they had been happy. But it looked like she was wrong. Eli bowed her head, unable to continue looking at Nozomi. The crushing weight of not having an answer was causing her mind to swirl with more and more doubts. She got to her feet, still holding onto the ring.

“I get it, it’s okay if you don’t want to get married.” Eli began to ramble. “There are a lot of things to consider.”

“Eli--” Nozomi’s voice was quiet. “I--”

“No, you don’t have to say anything. I get it, ya know. Marriage isn’t for all people. There are problems. Who knows what kind of an impression that will leave on people who don’t know us.”

“Eli, that---”

“You don’t have to apologize. If you don’t want to get married, I get it. I’ll just sell the ring and it will be nothing big.” Eli could feel herself falling apart. The tears at the edge of her vision were getting bigger. 

_ ‘Damnit, I don’t want to cry in front of her, not right now.’ _ Eli thought to herself. She stood up straight and push it back down. She steeled herself for next words.

“I just hope...I mean, even if you don’t want to get married,” she inhaled sharply, doing her best not to crumble in front of the woman she loved but it wasn’t working.

“Eli--”

“Please stay with me, okay?” Eli’s resolve failed as the tears began to fall down her cheeks. “I can’t lose you. I’ll do anythi---”

“ELI!!!!” Nozomi yelled at her. 

Eli blinked. Nozomi never yelled, not like that.

“What?” Eli asked, sucking back her tears.  

She looked at Nozomi, who was hunched forward and gripping her lower stomach, her face contorted in discomfort. A low grunt tearing from her throat as took a stuttering step forward. Instinctively, Eli reached out and steadied her, her face pressing into Eli’s shoulder as she grunted again; her body tensing in pain. 

“Nozomi! What’s wrong?” 

Nozomi shifted uncomfortably as the pain she was experiencing subsided. There was a moment where she searched for her words. When she looked up, she found Eli’s gaze, her eyes going wide. 

“I think my water broke.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *ducks*
> 
> P.S. you can thank Roomie for that glorious paint color pun


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go: The first of the three final chapters.
> 
> I will be posting a chapter a day over the next few days.
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> #SaveEli2017
> 
> \---

“What!?” Eli’s voice came out high and shrill as her shock froze her in place. She was still holding Nozomi in her arms and her mouth had gone completely dry. “But you’re not due for another couple of weeks!” 

Eli desperately searched around for what she should do as Nozomi dug her fingers deeper into her sweater. Nozomi let out a sharp whine of pain and her body arched into her girlfriend as a contraction tore through her body.

“Doctor...ha...” she huffed painfully. “The Doctor was wrong.” 

“Yes he was!” Eli’s panic was rising, the helplessness threatening to take over as she wrapped her arms tighter around her. 

She could feel Nozomi shake from each aftershock. It was a terrifying feeling now that she was in the moment. She’d been to all the classes and read the books but she felt woefully unprepared for watching the woman she loved in such immense pain. 

‘Stay calm,’ Eli thought to herself as she felt Nozomi relax just a bit against her. ‘Stay calm, you’ll be no good to Nozomi if you freak out.’

She could feel her heart pounding, threatening to burst from her chest. She tried to steady it but Nozomi’s body tensed again and she was back into high alert.Eli looked around the room desperately, her ponytail whipping from side to side as she searched for someone, anyone who might come to help her, but they were all alone. Alone because Eli had wanted to surprise Nozomi. What had she been thinking? This had been a terrible idea. 

“Eli...” Nozomi murmured against her chest, panting to catch her breathe. 

With her mouth opening and closing like a trout on land gasping on air, Eli’s mind fumbled over several versions of their emergency plan they had talked about should something like this occur. Each detail began slipping through her metaphorical fingers as they rushed by in an overwhelming flux of information. 

Several minutes passed as the two women stood with each other. Nozomi’s breath slowed as she figured out that she needed to do something or else Eli would remain frozen in indecision.

“Eli!” She took Eli’s face in her hands. The blonde had been staring off into space. 

Eli’s attention snapped back. Nozomi searched her eyes intently until she anchored Eli to her gaze. Her hands were cupping Eli’s cheeks, holding her in position so that she knew she was listening to her. 

“Eli, I need you to focus, okay?” Nozomi explained through the after pain. Her lower back was spasming intensely, the tension in her hip lingering amidst the feeling of dampness that had began to seep into her pants making her all the more uncomfortable. However, that was the least of her worries as the fluttering movement of the baby inside her made her feel dizzy and overwhelmed. She waited until Eli nodded to indicate she was listening before speaking. She needed to get Eli on the back on track

“It’s earlier than we thought but that’s okay because we’re ready. You made a plan, remember?”

Eli nodded again. Yes, good a plan. She needed to remember to thank past her. A plan she could do. They were reassuring.

“Now, what’s the first step in our plan?” Nozomi asked, grateful that she hadn’t had another contraction. It was only a matter of time before one would come. She could feel her system shifting gears in preparation for the ‘blessed’ event.

Eli hadn’t let her arms fall from around Nozomi and she stared at her with a worried expression. The only saving grace was that Eli was focused now, the wheels in her head turning rapidly. 

“Call the hospital and then the midwife. Tell them what’s happening.” She responded confidently. 

“Good, then what?” Nozomi pressed lightly against the flesh beneath her shirt as she waddled slowly over to the rocking chair. She had Eli help her sit down since her legs weren’t feeling so steady. 

“Well, we’re not at home, so, um...then...Nico.” 

“Right,” Nozomi let her head fall back against the chair, her eyes closing. Eli was still holding her hand. “Have her go to our place and grab the go bag for the hospital that you prepared.”

Kneeling in front of Nozomi, Eli continued on her own, allowing Nozomi to focus on her breathing. “And after that Nico will meet us at the hospital like we talked about. She’ll bring Maki too if she’s not already there. Then we’ll drive to the hospital and they’ll take it from there.”

She squeezed Eli’s hand tightly. “That’s...” Nozomi tried to smile through her discomfort, but found it difficult. “...my Elichi.”

Feeling calmer and more confident, she placed a kiss on Nozomi’s hand as she used her free one to grab her cell phone from her pocket. “It’s okay, Nozomi, I’m here.” 

She didn’t let go of Nozomi as she dialed the hospital. The call connected lightning fast. 

“Hello, My name is Ayase Eli, I ne---” 

Another contraction came, causing Eli’s hand to be crushed as Nozomi let out a low, painful moan. Eli yelped in surprise as she had no choice but to bear the pain, gripping her all the while as Nozomi rode out the contraction.

The nurse on the line spoke louder, trying to get Eli’s attention. 

“Oh, sorry, y-yes, I’m here...” Eli managed to struggle out into the phone’s microphone.

“That was a stronger one,” Nozomi’s voice was a bit shaky as she shifted in the rocking chair, trying to find a position that didn’t hurt as much. She clutched her stomach with her free hand, praying that things would remain steady until they made it to the hospital.

Eli spoke quicker into the phone.

“My girlfriend has gone into labor. Yes. Yes. Um...they seem to have just started?” She looked at Nozomi looking for confirmation. Nozomi shook her head. 

“I felt a couple of small pains during dinner. But I just thought it was my back disagreeing with the chairs,” she supplied with a strained laugh.

Eli’s eyebrows shot into her hairline as she stared at Nozomi. She didn’t find it very amusing at the moment. Shit. 

“Ok, no, they didn’t. She says that she felt a couple of small ones earlier but she didn’t think much of them,” Eli frowned. A muffled noise on the other end of the line. “A couple of minutes ago. No, I don’t know how dilated she is - She’s wearing pants.” She sounded frustrated with all the questions.

Nozomi gave an exasperated sigh at Eli, her eyes shut tightly. “She’s just trying to figure out what’s happening, don’t get mad.” 

The questions from the other side of the call continued as Eli did her best to comply.. “Her doctor is Dr. Yamada, but Dr. Nishikino will also be attending. Yes. Yes.” She looks over at Nozomi, watching her as she answers the questions. “Yes, I think we can make it to the hospital. She’s hasn’t had another one yet. But her water did break. Yes. Yes. I understand. We’ll be there as soon as we can. Thank you. Goodbye.”

She sat closer to Nozomi. “How ya doing, Nontan?” She asked quietly, her hand still tightly gripping her phone. 

“Just trying to concentrate.” Breathing in and out a few times, Nozomi eventually managed to open her eyes and look at Eli. The pain was showing in the strained muscles at the edges of her eyes and watery quality of her gaze, indicating that she was fighting tears 

Eli tried to reassure her with her presence. She leaned in closer. “What can I do?” 

She shook her head in response. “I don’t know.” Nozomi admitted. “It hurts.” A few of the tears she had been fighting trailed down the sides of her face as she spoke. Her grimace only a hint of her internal struggle.

“Sssshh, ssshhh.” Eli murmured as she pressed her forehead against hers, stroking her hair and pushing her bangs out of her face where they had stuck to the sweat collecting there. She did her best to sync Nozomi’s breathing with hers and to get her to focus on something other than the pain. The tears were evidence that she was having trouble. A sign of fear creeping in. Eli couldn’t stand that look on her face.

“I’m here. We’ll get through this. And soon we’ll see our beautiful baby girl, right?”

A flicker of a smile as Nozomi squeezed her hand. “Yes, we’ll get to see her.” 

“Yes, and I bet she’ll look just like you. But we gotta get to the hospital first.” She kissed her tenderly. “I gotta call Nico now, okay?”

Nozomi nodded, letting Eli pull back to use her phone.

\---

“What did I tell you about eating ice cream directly out of the tub?” Nico ran a towel through her damp hair as she emerged from the master bedroom. After her shower she had put on a pair of fuzzy pink pajama pants and a matching, long sleeve top. This was her standard night time fair since she was always cold. That is unless, she was feeling playful then, she’d break out something more ‘adventurous.’ But they’d already had some fun, so comfortable was next on the agenda.

Maki ignored the comment as she sat perched on the edge of the kitchen counter, looking the exact opposite of her girlfriend dressed in black sleep shorts and a red tank top. She dug her spoon back into the carton of strawberry flavored ice cream before having another bite. 

Nico’s face appeared from beneath the towel. Maki was caught in her sights, the look on her face was pure innocence, as if this had been the first time she’d heard about not eating from the ice cream carton when in fact it was at least the third time in the last two months.

“Maki.” 

“Mwhht?” She said through a mouthful of ice cream.

The towel was thrown across the room. Maki ducked, barely avoiding getting hit in the face. She swallowed and glared at Nico. 

“Hey!”

“Oh shush. You know better.” Nico nudged her in an attempt to scoot over so she could sit. “No eating out of the carton. We use bowls in this house. For a rich person, you certainly have poor manners.”

“You’re one to talk. Throwing towels is hardly considered polite,” Maki pointed out as she moved over to make room.

It took Nico several tries as she attempted to hop up on the counter. Maki looked on with amusement as she struggled, taking another bite of ice cream. “Need a ladder?”

“Shut up.” Nico scowled as she finally struggled into the seat next to Maki, her legs dangling high off of the ground. “For what I lack in height, I make up in charm and personality.”

Maki snorted, earning her a slap on the arm. The muffled sound that came from spoon filled mouth was barely audible.

“Be nice.” 

“I’m always nice,” Maki swallowed.

“Is that what you tell yourself?” Nico teased as she leaned into Maki.

“No, it’s true.” She put her arm around her, sharing some warmth as she one-handedly continued to eat ice cream. 

“Only you would be eating ice cream in the middle of this weather,” Nico glanced out of the kitchen window, seeing the snow falling heavily, coating their backyard. 

“Ice cream is better when it’s cold,” she shrugged. “It doesn’t melt that way.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“It’s true.”

Despite herself, Nico laughed. Maki’s smile spread across her face as Nico laid her head on her shoulder. Maki set down the ice cream next to her and they sat quietly watching the snow fall. 

“I didn’t know it was supposed to snow today.” Nico hummed. “But it’s pretty, isn’t it?”

Maki’s gaze was soft as she traced every detail in her expression as she watched snowflakes land on the window sill. “Yeah, it is.” She breathed, dreamily.

Nico’s surprise on her face was clear as she heard meaning behind the words. The blush that adorned her cheeks made her look irresistible, at least to Maki, and very much so. In that moment she leaned forward to capture Nico’s adorable, wonderful lips with hers.

Pulse quickening, Maki pulled Nico closer to her by the waist, and felt Nico’s arms slip around her neck. Their chemistry always paid off in moments like those as they felt the push and pull of one another as they tried to sate the passion, looking for the cure deep within each other. 

When they broke apart, Nico pressed her forehead up against Maki’s and smiled. Her face was still a crimson minefield of need.

“Pass the ice cream?” Nico nudged her with her nose. 

Maki laughed as she held the container and spoon out to her.

\---

Phone pressed to her ear, Eli spread a blanket over Nozomi’s legs and torso; they kept it in the car for emergencies, and this definitely counted as an emergency. She’d gotten her from the house to the back seat of the car with little trouble, despite the falling snow. The cold was still seeping into the car - even after Eli had warmed the engine up.

“How’s that?” Eli asked, securing the blanket around her feet. 

“F-f-fine.” Nozomi’s teeth chattered. 

Eli helped her with the seat belt, careful not to cause any discomfort as she secured her into the car. “It’s snowing harder than I thought.” She frowned. “But just hang on, I’ll get you there.”

She leaned in to kiss Nozomi’s cheek, only to receive a grimace in response as Nozomi laid her head back against the seat. Another contraction. They were coming faster now. 

She dialed Nico’s number again but it went to voicemail. It was the sixth time. An irritated growl rose from Eli’s throat as she shut the door. Hitting the ‘end call’ button she trudged over to the driver’s side and got in. 

“Her phone keeps going to voicemail,” Eli seethed as she tossed the phone onto the seat next to her, and buckled up her own seatbelt. 

She put the car into gear and reversed the car out of the driveway. Her arm was around the passenger seat’s headrest as she watched for any oncoming traffic as she backed onto the street. 

“Try Maki, maybe? She might be with her if she’s not at the hospital.” Nozomi gritted her teeth as the car lurched forward when Eli put it in drive.

“On it.”

Eli had the phone back in her hand in a millisecond, flicking her attention between her contacts and the road ahead of her. 

“Please be careful.” Nozomi reminded Eli as she narrowed avoided running a stop sign. Another car honked their horn at them and Eli slammed her free hand on the steering wheel. 

“Then go!” Eli yelled at car as she drummed her fingers in impatience. The phone picked up but as soon as Eli went to speak she was met with Maki’s terse voice ‘leave a message if it’s important or don’t. I don’t care.’  

“I’d really like to get there in one piece...” Nozomi’s half-hearted tease reached her ears. 

“Sorry,” Eli kept looking back at Nozomi, the worry creeping onto her features as she desperately tried to get ahold of Maki and Nico. She alternated between their numbers as she continued to hit every red light between their neighborhood and the expressway. Their phones weren’t even ringing. Just their messages.

“Any luck?” 

“No, Maki’s goes straight to voicemail every time too. Hospital said Maki took the night off. Where the hell are they?” She threw the phone back on the seat, giving the road her full attention as she hit the onramp. She’d need all of her faculties for driving at higher speeds. It was a small saving grace that not many cars were out on the expressway what with the snow fall and all. But that was probably the reason why not many people were out. Eli prayed that they wouldn’t hit any slippery patches. But thankfully it was only a few more miles to the hospital. 

“That’s just our luck.” Nozomi shifted to her side. Sitting upright had become unbearable. She shut her eyes tightly to avoid the nausea inducing lights that passed by her window. “Try again? Maybe have the hospital page her?”

“I did. Five times.” Eli switched lanes with the intent to take the next interchange. “Nothing. Neither of them are answering. I’m gonna give them an earful the next time I see them. How irresponsible can they be? Here you are in labor and they are....WHEREVER THEY ARE!” She huffed.

“Eli..” Nozomi interjected, her as soft as she could make it as she attempted to calm the blonde’s temper while she braced herself against the door during a cloverleaf turn.

Inhaling deeply, Eli shoved her anger down where she could focus and make it productive. She passed another car in front of her, they were driving too slow even for this weather. As she tried to troubleshoot the problem, Eli realized that she hadn’t accounted for Nico not answering the phone. She’d taken for granted that Nico would just be there. She cursed to herself for not thinking of it.

But as luck would have it, Eli passed a billboard by the road and a lightbulb went off in her head. It was an add for Kotori’s fashion boutique.

“I’ll call Umi and Kotori. At least I know they’re always home on a Friday night.”

She put her phone on speaker and dialed Umi’s number as she took the exit towards the hospital.

\---

“Do you hear that?” 

Kotori rolled over and whispered into Umi’s chest as she cuddled closer.

Umi, who was half asleep gave a quiet grunt. “What? All I hear are Honoka’s snores. I think she fell asleep on the couch again.”

Kotori giggled and kissed her cheek. “Yes, I can hear  _ that _ but I’m serious. Can’t you hear it? It sounds familiar.”

Umi opened her eyes, focusing her hazy gaze on the ceiling. She thought she could hear the faint chords of the ‘ _ Blueberry Train’  _ chorus. Umi groaned. 

“That...would be my phone. I left it in the kitchen when I got home.” 

“Aw, I’m my adorable Umi-chan’s ringtone, how sweet.” She cooed lovingly at her. 

Umi grumbled a bit about how she just liked the song, the blush on her face, however, told the full story. She looked over towards their bedroom door, knowing she should probably get up. But the phone stopped ringing. She sighed in relief. “If it’s important they’ll leave a message.” 

She rolled into Kotori and took solace in her warmth, her eyes already shutting once more as she tried to fall back into the realm of blissful sleep. 

And then her phone went off again. 

Kotori let out a breathy laugh. “Maybe you should go answer it. Honoka-chan will never hear it over the sound of her own snoring.”

“Let it ring,” Umi whined. “It’s late.”

“It might be important. And if it is they’ll just keep calling.” Kotori kissed her again before slipping from under the covers. “Don’t worry, I’ll go get it.”

Umi thanked her quietly and stayed amongst the warm blankets on their bed. She was asleep again by the time Kotori opened the door into the living area, her soft breaths evening out quietly. Kotori shook her head in amusement as she put her robe on and headed to the kitchen. The phone had stopped ringing by the time she entered the living room but she wasn’t going to take any chances by not bringing it back to the bedroom with her. 

With the phone silent for the moment, Kotori took the time to survey the source of the snoring on the couch. Honoka had indeed fallen asleep there, her stomach full from her night out with Yukiho and her girlfriend, no doubt. She was face up on her back making the noisy snores that escaped her throat all the more louder. A line of drool fell from her open mouth and Kotori went over to throw a blanket over her.

“You should take better care of yourself, Honoka-chan.” Kotori placed a kiss on her head as she shifted.

Honoka mumbled something in her sleep that sounded a lot like she was trying to convince Umi not to get mad at her. Kotori listened a little bit closer. 

“Umi-chan....no...I swear I wasn’t putting off the homework. I was waiting on the duck to write my history paper...”

Kotori covered her mouth to keep from laughing. It was just like Honoka to dream up such a thing. She’d have to tell Umi later when she had the chance. 

Going back to her mission, she strode over to the kitchen counter and examined the screen on Umi’s phone. There were several missed calls - all from Eli’s phone. That was a lot of times for Eli to try to call them, especially that late at night. Something had to be wrong. Kotori picked up the phone and pressed the callback button. Something told her that this wasn’t just a social call as her insides churned with worry. 

She held it to her ear as she walked back to the bedroom where Umi was sound asleep. As she waited the split second for the phone call to connect, she’d already began to try to shake Umi awake. It took her three solid shakes of Umi’s shoulder before she responded.

“Five for minutes, mom...” Umi mumbled from within her dream. She covered her face with her arm.

“Umi-chan, you need to wake up, Eli’s been calling. I think it’s---”

The call connected with a click. On the other end of the call, Kotori could hear the telltale sound of being on speakerphone. Eli’s fumbled with the phone and cursed. 

“FINALLY, someone answered their damn phone!” Eli’s voice was rather harsh as she spoke, the irritation fully present as. If the muffled wind in the background was any indication she was driving a car. 

Kotori winced at the loudness of the Eli’s voice even though she was clearly not that close to the phone. 

“Eli stop yelling!” Nozomi’s voice came through from somewhere nearby. “And pay attention to the road.”

“I am looking at the road, it’s the other idiots that aren’t looking at the road!” Eli exclaimed. A car horn honked. Kotori guessed that Eli had initiated the honking herself.

“Hello?” Kotori tried to grab the blonde’s attention back to her. She wanted to know what the hell was going on.

“Sorry, Umi. It’s been a mess, Nico’s not---”

“Actually, it’s Kotori,” she corrected. “Eli what’s going on? Where are you?”

“Kotori! Sorry! Nico’s not answering her phone and neither is Maki. We’re on our way to the hospital but it’s also snowing so we are going slower than we want but we’re almost there.”

“Eli, slow down.” Kotori urged, her eyes wide. She began to shake Umi harder. “What do you mean you’re on your way to the hospital?” 

“Eli, hand me the phone.“

“Nozomi, I’ve got this, it’s on speaker--”

“Give me the phone.” It was Nozomi voice again. At least she was calm, Kotori thought.

Grumbling, Eli sounded like she had given in. The rustling sounds of the phone being passed off was heard. 

In their bedroom, Umi was finally sitting up, rubbing her eyes. Kotori walked over to her closet.

“Hi Kotori-chan.” Nozomi spoke into the phone.

“Nozomi! What’s going on? What happened?” She threw off her robe and began grabbing proper clothes.

“Nothing’s wrong, Kotori-chan. Well, not really. I went into labor after dinner and now we’re on our way to the hospital.” Nozomi’s breathing was steady but it sounded labored. 

Kotori let out a high pitched squeal into the phone. The sound making Umi jump; she was startled awake.

“Kotori?!” Umi rubbed her ears. 

Kotori ignored Umi as she spoke into the form. “That’s so exciting. Oh my god, are you alright? That means the contractions started for real, right? Did your water break?”

Umi’s eyes widened in disbelief as Kotori’s questions continued. 

Nozomi let out a grunt of discomfort. When she answered it sounded like she was gritting her teeth. “Yes, my water broke. Yes, to contractions as well. They’re a bitch.” She attempted to joke.

Kotori laughed through her worry as she heard Nozomi in pain. “I bet.”

“Kotori-chan, I need you to do us a favor.”

“Anything you need! Name it!” Kotori pulled a new shirt over her head. She tossed a pair of pants and shirt at Umi, hitting her in the face. ‘Put these on,’ she mouthed.

“Like Elichi said, Nicocchi and Maki-chan aren’t answering their phones. We need ya to go to Nicocchi’s house and get her.” Nozomi explained calmly. A surprising feat in her state.

“And knock her upside the head too!” Eli yelled. 

A hand was placed over the phone, muffling the sound for a minute. When the call opened up again, Nozomi sighed. 

“Don’t hit her. Just find her for us.”

“Got it,” Kotori, dressed in a flash, was then sitting on the edge of the bed, writing notes on a small notepad she kept by her bed for dress ideas that hit her in middle of the night. “We can do that. What else?”

“Tell Nicocchi that we need her to go get our hospital bag from our apartment. She still has the key to the door so she can get in easily. It’s in the closet in the front hall. It’s purple.” 

Kotori nodded, continuing to write. “Alright, anything else?”

“If Maki-chan’s with her too, send her to the hospital. We can’t locate either of them and we’re approaching ‘go time’ if the increasing rate of contractions are any sign. She’s supposed to be there. Our midwife is already on the way but it’s snowing out so I’m really unsure about how everything is aligning.”

“Don’t worry about it, Nozomi-chan. We’ll get them and your bag and head to the hospital. It’ll all be okay. Just hang in there! And take care of you and that baby!” 

Nozomi laughed. Behind the sound, Kotori could tell that her friend was in a large amount of pain. It tainted her normally cheerful voice.“Thanks, Kotori-chan. We’ll see you soon. We’re just pulling up to the hospital now.”

“Good. We’ll see you very soon. ‘Bye.” 

Kotori hung up the phone and turned to Umi. “Get dressed, we gotta go.”

“Where are we going?” Umi asked, her mouth dry. 

“We’ve gotten go pick up Nico and Maki. They aren’t answering their phones and Nozomi needs them at the hospital. She’s having the baby!” Kotori beamed, pushing Umi out of the bed to get her to move quicker. 

“She’s having the baby?!” Umi scrambled to her feet, pulling her pajama top over her head in the process. “We need to go!” 

“I just said that!” Kotori protested as she watched Umi stumble around, trying to put on her street clothes.  

Umi forced her shirt over her head before grabbing her jeans and stuffing a leg inside. However, she’d failed to remember to take off her pajama bottoms and the tight fit of the leg worked against her as she hopped around trying to get her other leg in. As Kotori thought it would, it only ended in pain as Umi hopped her way clear across their room before losing her balance and tumbling into their dresser. Luckily she wasn’t badly hurt.

Kotori couldn’t help but laugh. Her girlfriend was a mess.

“Oww...” Umi whined from her position on the floor. She decided that slower was better after that and carefully removed her pajama pants before putting on on and buttoning her jeans. 

“I’m going to wake Honoka up too and she can meet us there. Nozomi and Eli will need their family around them. Oh, it’s such a big day!” Kotori beamed as she picked up Umi’s car keys off the dresser. She turned around to see Umi still struggling to get up off the floor. 

“On second thought, I’ll drive.”

**\---**

The nurses stationed at the desk were consumed with paperwork, their evening rounds had been uneventful due to the snow that was falling. The atmosphere should have been relaxed but they were on high alert as they anticipated the arrival of one of their patients. The head nurse watched the clock, instructing the orderly to go grab a wheelchair. 

As soon as he had gone to fetch the chair, the sound of screeching of car brakes broke the tension. The room was instantly in action, the nurse heading for the front door. She reached for the handle on the front door, her hand stopping and jerking back when a blonde woman collided directly with the glass of the door. The loud ‘ _ thud _ ’ that echoed through the entrance way was followed almost immediately by a long string of extremely non-japanese curse words. 

The nurse quickly opened the door, letting the woman tumble into full view as she held a hand to her nose. Her voice was overly nasal as she struggled to breathe.

“Door...” Eli huffed, clutching her chest. She took a fraction of a second to curse her job from keeping her from her normal workout routine in the past few weeks. “...sorry about the door...”

“It’s fine,’ the nurse ensured her, trying to get a better look at her injury. It was beginning to bruise, the purples and yellows pooling in small patches across the bridge. “It didn’t hurt the door. You, on the other hand, c’mon we need to get you fixed up.”

“No,” Eli shrugged her off. A trickle of blood marred the top of Eli’s lip as she held her hand there. “I’ll be fine.”

“Yes, you will but we need to set it.”

“Later,” Eli frantically looked behind her to where she had left her car running. “I...I need...wheelchair!” 

“A broken nose doesn’t require a wheelchair,” the nurse teased as she tried to pull Eli away from the door.  

“No, not for me!” Eli winced. She couldn’t believe this. A broken nose was the last thing she needed. “Wheelchair...for Nozomi...” 

If she had to she would find a wheelchair herself.

“Slow down.” The nurse implored her so that it would be easier to understand her.

Eli complied, taking a few deep breaths in through her mouth.

“Better?” 

Eli nodded carefully. 

“Good, now who do you need a wheelchair for?” The nurse asked her.

“My...Nozomi is in labor. We..called ahead?”

“Oh!” Everything clicked into place for the nurse and she motioned for the orderly to go get their patient. He had returned with the wheelchair right after Eli had ran into the door. “You must be Ayase-san. Dr. Yamada called ahead. I’m assuming that Tojo-san is in the car?”

Eli nodded as they followed after the orderly who was already out of the door.

“How far apart are the contractions?” 

“A few minutes. Maybe three? I was trying to drive without getting into an accident so I didn’t time them.”

“Okay. Then we’ve still got some time. Your doctor’s not on call tonight but his partner Dr. Kisara is on her way. She’ll take great care of you. I’m told Dr. Nishikino is supposed to attend to the birthing as well.”

“That’s right. She should be, um, on her way.” Eli hoped this was the truth. She hoped that Umi and Kotori got to her in time.

Eli opened the back door, reaching out for Nozomi. “Nontan, how are you doing?” She asked tenderly. 

Nozomi’s eyes going wide even through her pain. “Eli, what happened to your nose?” she gasped.

Eli hesitated to answer as she helped Nozomi out of the car and gently lower herself into the wheelchair as the orderly held it steady.  “I was just a little clumsy. It doesn’t matter.”

“It does matter. Eli, you’re hurt...” 

“She had a bit of a rough first meeting with our front door, Tojo-san.” The nurse interrupted. It wasn’t mocking, it was just a fact. Eli would have blushed but she was pretty sure she had far too much adrenaline for that right then. “But don’t worry a bit. The door is fine and we’ll take good care of the both of you.”

Nozomi ran a hand across Eli’s cheek as the nurse asked her a few more questions. Nodding in response, the nurse took notes on a small notepad she had produced from a pocket.

“Alright. Take her inside,” the nurse ripped off the piece of paper she had been writing on and handed it to the orderly. “Put her in room 117 and I’ll be there shortly. Have the others prep the ultrasound and give her an examination before the doctor arrives.”

The orderly nodded and whisked Nozomi’s wheelchair into the building as Eli let go of her hand with reluctance. She began to hurry after her but the nurse stopped her.

“You need to park your car first. Then come back in here and we’ll fix your nose. Once done, then you can join her.” Eli looked like she was going to argue but the nurse held up a stern finger. This wasn’t her first uncooperative patient. “Help yourself first, then help her. She’s gonna need you at your best and you with a broken and bleeding nose is not you at your best. Unless this sort of thing happens every day?” She gave Eli’s nose a once over.

Eli shook her head. “No.”

“Didn’t think it was. Go take care of that. We promise we won’t let you miss anything. Plus, if my experience tells me anything, she’s got a bit more of a wait ahead of her.”

Eli knew she was right. “Ok.” She breathed. “Ok. I’ll be right back. But we gotta make it quick.”

“We will. You’ll back at her side in no time.” She reassured. 

Eli got back into the car and pulled away. “Hold on, Nontan. I’m coming.”

The nurse shook her head as she watched Eli take off towards the parking lot. “New parents,” she murmured with a laugh. “Are always high maintenance.”

She smiled and turned back towards the hospital. Duty called.

\---


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When it rains it pours and the rain can be cleansing.  
> \---

The knocking on their front door had Nico’s head popping up over the back of the couch as her attention was drawn away from what she had been doing. Her face was flushed and quite annoyed at being interrupted. 

“Don’t answer it,” Maki begged from beneath her. Her voice came from behind the haze of passion that was still lingered between them. They had only managed to make as far as the couch before they had gotten caught up in each other, Nico’s shirt discarded on the floor across the room. Even she was impressed with the distance the article of clothing had traveled.

Nico leaned down to kiss Maki, wanting desperately to continue what they were doing. Maki was so cute when she was helpless underneath her, her shirt riding up over her stomach just enough to expose the tops of her abs. She had her just where she wanted...

The knocking became a loud pounding; the hard thuds of the fist against the material couldn’t be ignored even if they had wanted to do so. A frantic voice joined the noise, but Nico couldn’t tell who it was. Giving an exasperated sigh, she climbed off Maki, leaving her red-headed girlfriend to pout. 

“Guess I’ll get it...” she grumbled. “Coming! Gah don’t get your panties in a twist!” She yelled at the source of the noise. 

She jogged over to the other side of the room to retrieve her shirt. Slipping it over her head before she grabbed the handle of the door, she unlocked the deadbolt and pulled the door open a few inches. A flash of dark blue hair came into view as Nico recognized Umi immediately. 

“Umi? What are you doing here at this hour?” Nico commented. “Shouldn’t you be in bed already since you’re an old lad---”

“No time!” Umi pushed her way through the door. 

Maki gave a squeak of surprise and rolled off the couch to hide. Umi stared at her friend. She blinked several times, her mind going blank.

“Are we interrupting something?” Kotori asked as she came in, much less forcefully, behind Umi. 

“Yes.” Nico narrowed her eyes at them as Maki continued to bumble around, looking for her pants. “So, what do you want?” She stood in front of her friends. 

“Nozomi went into labor!” Kotori clapped happily. “They’re on their way to the hospital right now!”

“WHAT?!!” Nico and Maki’s voices sounded in unison. They immediately began moving. Maki, struggling to get to her feet. When she was upright, she made a b-line for her work and private cell.

This seemed to break Umi from her stupor. She ignored the heat in her face as she turned to Nico, a now stern expression on her face. “Yes! And they kept calling you both but you weren’t answering. So we’re here to get you.”

“We turned our phones off...” Nico groaned as she jogged over to where her phone was plugged into her charger.

“I can see that. How irresponsible!” Umi scolded. 

“Umi-chan, calm down. Besides, you’re the one who left your phone in the kitchen..” Kotori poked her cheek. “Nozomi’s okay but they were almost at the hospital when I talked to them. She needs you to go to their apartment and grab her hospital bag. She says it’s in the closet in the hallway.”

“She couldn’t grab it?” Nico asked as Kotori passed her the page of notes she had written down.

“No, they weren’t at their apartment. I think they went to dinner with Eli’s family tonight. Maybe they were still out of the house when it happened?” Kotori shrugged. She was already steering Umi back towards the car as Nico gathered her things, making sure she had the key to Nozomi’s apartment and that she was bundled up for the snowy weather.

Maki emerged from the bedroom already changed into a pair of scrubs and pinning her badge to her shirt. “Of all the nights for me to trade shifts, shit.” Slipping on her work shoes, Maki reached for her coat and gave Nico a quick kiss. “Go with Umi and Kotori and I’ll meet you up there.” 

“Got it. Let her know I’ll be right behind you. I only hope the baby hasn’t arrived yet.” Nico bundled herself into her coat and mittens.

It took them less than a minute all of them were out the door. Maki’s phone pressed to her ear as she pulled out of the driveway and let the hospital know she was on the way.

\---

“Ya look silly,” Nozomi breathed through her pain, letting out the hint of a laugh as she held her head to look back over her shoulder at Eli. She was leaning over the bed, gently swaying side to side. It helped with the pain among other things. The contractions were coming but they were still in the long in between period as they waited for Nozomi’s cervix to dilate so that she could give birth safely. It had been almost two hours since they had arrived. Eli had played music for her and even read an ebook off of her phone in an attempt to distract her from the waiting. 

“You’re one to talk,” Eli mumbled as she rubbed circles into Nozomi’s lower back. If the situation hadn’t already been ridiculous enough, the bandage over Eli’s nose certainly wasn’t helping much. At least the bruising hadn’t been too bad. It was a small break, thankfully.

After the nurses had fixed her up, she’d iced it briefly before joining Nozomi in the delivery room. 

“Yes,” she agreed, looking down at herself in the flowing hospital gown, only held in place by a few strings tied together at the back. “But I didn’t expect to look pretty or composed during this part. You’re just trying to show me up.” 

Nozomi teased. Her trademark smirk was only half present as she ducked her head and continued to sway in place. Eli made a sound of disagreement as she continued to massage Nozomi’s muscles. 

“You’re wrong,” she murmured as she pressed a kiss to the nape of Nozomi’s neck. The gentleness of the act was electrifying. “You’re beautiful.”

Nozomi laugh was softer this time. She hummed pleasantly. 

“Sorry,” Eli added. 

It took Nozomi several seconds to respond. Her mind was all over the place. But Eli knew to wait. She moved her rubbing to the sides of her abdomen testing the waters to see if that was more comfortable.

“That feels good.” Nozomi murmured. “What did you say?”

“I said I was sorry.”

“For what?”

“For being such a clutz.”

“It’s alright. I think it’s cute. Just try not to break anything else on your body before our daughter arrives.”  

Eli nodded and placed one more kiss on Nozomi’s back for good measure. They rocked gently together for about five more minutes before Nozomi got tired of it. She arched her back into a stretch as she stood up, immediately regretting it. 

“What can I do?” Eli remained attentive as Nozomi began to shuffle around to the other side of the bed. 

“Help me onto the bed.” 

It was a difficult affair as she crawled into the bed on her knees, but Eli was by her side helping to steady her. When she was finally situated in an upright position, Eli placed several pillows behind her back.

“How’s that?” Eli adjusted the pillows for maximum fluffiness. 

“Still hurts, but better.” 

Another contraction came. They were stronger now, and lasting longer. Nozomi braced her hands against her stomach and lay her head back. She hissed at first but as the pain grew a loud moan ripped through her. 

“It’s okay. Just breathe...breathe...” Eli found her hand, letting her squeeze it as hard as she needed to. “You’ve got this. One contraction at a time. You’ll get through this” 

Nozomi gasped for a moment before finding her breathing rhythm. The tears prickled at the edges of her eyes. The pain was excruciating but as Eli matched her breathing with hers, encouraging her with the ‘in, in, out’ of her breaths she settled into a more tolerable position as she rode out the contraction.

“There, that’s my girl.” Eli cooed as the pain finally began to subside. 

“Tojo-san,” a steady female’s voice filled the room as she entered. The midwife was behind her as they came in. “I’ve just received word that Dr. Nishikino is almost here. The snow took her longer than intended.”

“Finally,” muttered Eli.

“Thank you, doctor.” Nozomi sighed in relief. That meant the others were on their way too. Their midwife came over to Nozomi and asked a few questions as Eli watched.

“Alright,” the doctor began to glove up and walked over to Nozomi. “Let’s have a look, shall we?”

They had Nozomi sit up, placing a blanket over her legs as they began their check up. She squirmed in discomfort. This part was always the most awkward.

“Alright, Tojo-san. It looks like you’re at 8cm.”

“Oh thank the gods,” Nozomi leaned her head against Eli’s chest.

“It won’t be too much longer now. I know you’re eager to meet your baby.” The doctor smiled at her, removing her gloves and disposing of them.

“Yes, we are.” Eli smiled softly. 

Another contraction. More waiting it out. When it was over, Nozomi wheezed roughly.

“I’m really warm.” Nozomi said with her head laid to the side. 

“Those would be the hot flashes. That’s actually good sign.” the midwife explained. “Lean forward.” she urged and Nozomi did. She used a few fingers to hit a pressure point in Nozomi back. She tensed. “Do you want pain drugs? Now would be the time to decide if you’re gonna.”

Nozomi shook her head. The midwife exchanged a questioning look with Eli. She nodded. “It’s her decision. If she can handle it then that’s her call. Nozomi, are you certain? There’s no shame in--”

“No, no drugs...I can do this. The cards said I could do it without them.” 

Eli did her best to hide her worry with an amused bark of exasperation. “Of course they did. Then that’s what we’ll do. No drugs,” She looked at the midwife. 

The doctor had excused herself from the room to go check something with the nurse’s station. The midwife smiled at them both. “You’re doing great. Just a little longer.”

“People keep saying that,” Nozomi laughed wryly. “They better be right. As much fun as this adventure has been I’d really like to get it over with.”

“You will. It’ll be over before you know it and you’ll have your beautiful baby in your arms.”

Nozomi nodded. She took a moment to lick her lips. Her mouth was extremely dry. “I’m so thirsty...” 

“Want me to go get you some water?” Eli asked, squeezing her hand again, eager to help in any tangible way she would be able to.

“Ice chips.” The midwife reminded them, wiping Nozomi’s forehead with a cool cloth

“Right.” Eli nodded, giving Nozomi’s hand a kiss. “I’ll be right back with ice chips. Hang in there, Nontan.” 

\---

Alone in room, Nozomi was enjoying a break from her contractions. She walked slowly around the room, breathing slowly, her arm bracing her lower back as she walked. The pain had diluted slightly, but it still lingered like a wave upon the beach after the tide returns it to the ocean. Her insides were churning as the baby moved actively making sure she wasn’t forgotten in the midst of all the excitement. 

“If ya’d just calm down and show up already, that’d be great, little girl. Mama can’t take much more of these.” She rubbed her stomach, pressing the skin with her fingers from time to time. The baby moved again, causing Nozomi’s sore muscles to respond. 

“Ssss...” she gritted her teeth as she stood in place and held the end of the bed. “I’m grounding ya if ya keep that up.”

Her walk only lasted a few steps at a time before she would need to slow down. Her midwife had only been gone a moment, having needed to take an important phone call down the hall. Nozomi looked to the door, shaking her head, wondering what was taking Eli so long. She was still so darn thirsty. 

With her head down, another contraction hit and she held on to the rail of the bed as she rode it out. She closed her eyes tightly and counted to twenty as she breathed through the surge of discomfort. It was the strongest one yet. 

She heard footsteps approaching as she leaned over the bed. Relief washed over her thinking that Eli had returned. She didn’t like hospitals, much less being alone in them.

“What took ya so long, Elichi,” Nozomi teased through the last of her ragged breaths. “Did ya have to go to Hokkaido to get the ice? I mean there is a whole bunch of snow outside, ya could’ve just used tha--”

Nozomi looked up and stopped talking. Blinking rapidly, she wondered if she was seeings things as a side effect of the pain. Standing in the doorway was her father, his massive frame taking up most of it. Her father had always been a larger man, his figure was sturdy and steady, reminding Nozomi of a mountain that you couldn’t easily move. His dark purple hair was a little more grey than she remembered it being and his goatee matched, its edges neatly trimmed. His eyes were looking at her with something she hadn’t seen in a long time. 

“Papa..” Nozomi choked on her words as they came out. Her hormones were working over time with the impending arrival of her baby but she was pretty sure she was reacting to the startling contrast of kindness in his eyes.

When he had stepped into the room, he looked like he had wanted to talk about something but now that he saw her, he seemed at a loss.

“Hello, Nozomi.” Even his voice felt warm. The reality of the situation appeared to be slowly sinking into him as he watched his pregnant daughter in front of him. A slow smile adorned his lips but he hesitated in the door, unsure if he should even enter.

Nozomi was now convinced she was hallucinating. For the first time that night, she felt like she wanted to cry for a reason other than excruciating labor pains.

“You look...” He began to say, chancing a step forward. “..bea--”

“There she is!” The moment was interrupted by Nozomi’s mother appearing right behind him, her presence filling the room like a bad smelling air freshener. Nozomi tensed automatically, which did her back no favors. Her mother’s hair, streaked with it’s natural purple and some aging silver, sat in a severe bun on the back of her head she bustled into the room. 

“The nurse just told us where your room was. We came as fast as we could.” She said, pushing her husband out of the way so she could get close to Nozomi. “It’s alright, Mama’s here now.” 

She was almost to Nozomi when the next contraction hit. She moaned loudly in pain as the intensity grew, the sensation lasting far longer than the ones before it. Mrs. Tojo immediately tried to take control, placing her hands on Nozomi. She wiped her bangs out of her face and made annoying cooing noises at her daughter. She felt uncomfortable and caged.

Everything felt wrong. Nozomi pulled away from her, slowly inching towards the head of the bed. Her mother only pursued her, trying to hold her once more. 

“Don’t touch me.” 

Nozomi’s angry voice rang harshly through the room. Her mother stood still, shocked. Her brow was already furrowing into an angry expression. 

In and out Nozomi breathed until she could get some hold over her senses. She looked between her mother and father as best she could.

“What...are you two...even...doing here?” Nozomi asked through her tears. Her knees felt weak. She wanted Eli. Where was Eli?

“Why shouldn’t we be here? You’re in the hospital. We came as soon as they called us.” The older woman insisted as she began inspecting the hospital room around her and busying herself in arranging Nozomi’s things on the table.

“B-but you’re supposed to be in Hawaii a-and...” Nozomi swallowed the lump in her throat, trying not to let herself get pulled into their toxic nature. But they were standing right in front of her so she couldn’t just hang up the phone. She remember the last time they had called. She didn’t want them here. It was all too much.

“Well, if you had read our letter,” her mother scolded, a deep frown on her face. “You would have known that we’d be visiting this week. If you even  _ got _ the letter...” 

_ The letter.  _

Nozomi’s mind flickered to the letter that she had torn in two that was lying at the bottom of her waste basket at home. She shut her eyes tight, hoping that it might all be a terrible dream. This wasn’t happening. 

Meanwhile her mother was still going on about it.

“...she thinks she can just speak to me like that over the phone? She thinks she can keep my daughter from me, my own flesh and blood. Why, she probably threw the letter away without telling Nozomi about it. She would do something like that.” 

“I think you’re jumping to conclusion, dear.” Her father reasoned while watching the stress play out across his daughter’s face. This wasn’t the time for any of this. “Maybe we--”

“Maybe nothing, Saito. The hospital called us! We’re family!”

“Yes, dear, we are but---”

Eli chose that moment to return from her ice hunt. She was looking at a package of crackers in her hand. A large cup of ice chips was in the other.

“Nontan, I finally found the ice machine. But I also got these cheese cracker things you like from a vending machine I found. I don’t know if you can have them but I figured that a little bit of contraband might be nice if the midwife’s not loo..king...” Eli looked up finally. Her expression immediately turned sour.

“Eli...” Nozomi said, looking relieved.

“What are they doing here?” Eli asked, doing her best not to address Nozomi’s parents. She walked straight over to Nozomi who was trying to climb into the bed again and away from her mother. Eli saw the strained expression on her lover and immediately was filled with cold anger. Her blue eyes took on an icy sheen as she moved between Mrs. Tojo and Nozomi, forming a protective barrier. 

“We came to see our daughter!” Mrs. Tojo said angrily. Now that Eli was here she seemed to have locked on. “We have every right to be here.”

Eli clenched her jaw as she set down the cup and snacks on the table. “I’m sure you think that,” she said coldly. “But clearly Nozomi doesn’t want you here right now. So if you’ll please  _ leave _ .”

It wasn’t a question. That’s the part that infuriated Mrs. Tojo the most. “Now, listen, Ayase-san...”

But Eli wasn’t listening. She turned her full attention onto Nozomi and was running a hand over her sweaty hair. Another contraction. She gripped onto Eli’s hand tightly and they breathed through it together. 

“Ice?” Nozomi asked quietly, her mouth was a literal desert. 

“Got it,” Eli murmured as she reached behind her to retrieve the cup. She used her fingers to fish out a few ice chips. Nozomi held open her mouth long enough for Eli to place them on her tongue. She slowly savored the cool feeling as it spread across her tongue. It quenched her thirst and distracted her from what was going on. Her attention was being pulled in too many directions. The baby moved inside her, reminding her of what was most important. She redoubled her efforts to concentrate as Eli gave her a few more ice chips.

Watching the tender scene made something inside Mr. Tojo soften. A flood of memories hit him as he recalled being in Eli’s spot when Mrs. Tojo had been in labor with her. He placed a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “We can talk about this another time. We shouldn’t be here right now.”

“No,” She turned her eyes on her husband, shooting daggers at him the entire time. “I’m tired of this woman telling me that I can and cannot talk to or see my own daughter. She has no right. I’m her mother and I know what’s best--”

“You have no idea what’s best for her,” Eli hissed quietly, her eyes turned onto Nozomi’s mother once more. At least her father was being reasonable. “You barge in here without warning--”

“We wrote a letter.”

“You barge in her without warning,” Eli continued, shutting her eyes. Her brow was twitching in annoyance before she opened them again. “You insist that you know what’s best but where have you been for the last, I don’t know, nine months. Or hell, how about the last ten years?”

“We’ve been just a phone call away--”

“You haven’t been HERE!” Eli said, her voice rising. “So, if you will just leave us in peace we have something far more important to do than you stressing out Nozomi while she’s trying to give a safe birth to  _ our _ child.” 

“You dare speak to me like. You’re the one who shouldn’t be h--”

“--here! I’m here!” Maki rounded the corner, whipping on her white doctor’s jacket. “Where are we? I just got off the phone with Nico and she’s almost here with your bag. Umi and Kotori are bringing her.” 

Stopping in her tracks, Maki surveyed the scene. The last thing she had expected to see was Eli staring murderously at Nozomi’s mother while Nozomi looked on miserably beyond words as she rode out the end of a painful looking contraction. She frowned deeply, quickly taking in the possible situation she was walking into, and it wasn’t good at all.

“What’s going on here?” Maki asked sharply. Her arms crossed over her chest. 

Eli looked relieved to see Maki, she held onto Nozomi as another pain hit her quickly, overlapping with the last one. “Oh thank God.” 

“At last, a doctor!” Mrs. Tojo said. “Maybe you can take care of this woman who insists on keeping me away from my daughter.”

Oh, they are Nozomi’s parents. Not thinking it possible, Maki felt her frown deepening as Nozomi’s mom continued to speak.

“We’ve every right to be here. And I don’t appreciate the hospital letting someone like her in here. And look at her, she’s a mess. Her nose is broken like some delinquent.” 

“Just because I hurt my nose doesn’t mean I don’t deserve to be here.” Eli insisted.

“What  _ did  _ happen to your nose?” Maki asked.

“Not now, Maki.” Eli groaned. 

“I was just asking,” Maki shrugged.

“But it clearly means that you’re irresponsible.” Mrs. Tojo pointed out. “A person like you doesn’t need to be around our daughter.”

“That’s too far,” Mr. Tojo scolded his wife. “People hurt themselves all the time on accident.” He was sticking up for Eli. That was new one.

“Yeah, I’m just clumsy!” Eli insisted. 

“Whatever the reason I still don’t want you here.” 

“Ugh, what is your problem.” Eli’s frosty demeanor towards Nozomi’s mom only grew colder. “We’re not doing this right now. You need to leave. Both of you.”

“I’m not leaving!”

“Stop.” Nozomi’s voice came out choked as she caught a breath. She felt another contraction coming on and she fought against it as she struggled to sit up more.

“Nontan, don’t strain yourself.” Eli tried her best to help her without crowding her. 

The midwife returned amidst the noise. “The stress in this room is far too high. I need some of you to leave.” She looked at Nozomi’s parents. “You can see her later.”

“I won’t leave.” Mrs. Tojo was acting like a child thinking that everyone was crazy for not acknowledging her authority. Her desperation was screaming in her ears as she lost control of the situation. “She,” she pointed at Eli. “Isn’t even family!"

“But she is family!” Nozomi’s voice silenced the group. Her midwife was at her side, fingers on her pulse and looking at her watch. “She’s  _ my _ family. And I want her here. She deserves to be here by my side.”

“Nozomi...” Eli whispered near her. She felt Nozomi squeeze her hand.

“She is on the paperwork as family,” Maki interjected, conspiratorial. “It’s totally legal since it’s on the paperwork and she wants her here.”

“But we’re your family!” Mrs. Tojo argued. “What about us? What about me? I’m your mother.”

“Right now you’re not acting like it.” Nozomi shook her head. “You’re not my family. My family would support me, love me unconditionally, but you don’t. You never have!” Nozomi’s tears quickened down her cheeks. “Eli loves me unconditional. She’s my family. And this is our family. We’re welcoming our baby into the world. This is the family I’ve chosen and you’re not in it.”

The words rang harshly into the room, leaving in its wake a lingering silence that could have been cut with a knife. Mrs. Tojo stood shocked beyond words. 

“Now, please,” Nozomi’s resolve failed her as her labor continued, another pain tearing through her. She arched into Eli, leaning it her. “Please leave.” Her voice was soft at the end as she clung to Eli. 

Eli whispered words of encouragement to her, trying to ease her pain and sobbing.

“I’m getting the doctor. I think it’s time.” the midwife said, jogging quickly out of the room. 

“Well, you heard her,” Maki was in front of the Tojo’s in a flash, looking sternly at them. “She doesn’t want you in here. So you need to go. Hospital policy.”

Mr. Tojo was already guiding his wife out of the room, not wanting to give her a chance to recover and respond. They’d done their damage. On his way out, he looked over his shoulder at Eli. Their eyes met. Hers were cold and challenging. His were ashamed and apologetic. He nodded in respect to her as he left. Eli didn’t know what to think.

But there was no time to think. The doctor had returned, a nurse following behind him as she closed the door. Maki was at the ready, preparing the tray of utensils in case they were needed. All of them were gloved up.

“Get her to sit up,” the midwife said to Eli. “We need to take a look.” 

Eli coaxed Nozomi up, wiping her tears. “C’mon, Nontan.”

“It’s hurts.” Nozomi whispered but did as they urged. “They’re so close together now.”

“I know it does, but the doctor will help. Breathe, okay?.” Eli massaged Nozomi’s shoulder. 

Several moments passed as the doctor made the assessment. “10cm. This is gonna go quick. Nurse, with me.” 

Eli’s face paled as the moment of truth was upon them. “Here that, Nontan? We’re gonna get to see our girl.”

Nozomi’s nod was delayed when she responded. “You’re gonna start feeling like you’re gonna wanna push in a minute.” The midwife spoke to Nozomi.

“I feel that now,” she gasped out. “I...AAAHHHHH!!!” Her body tensed in pain as the rapid succession of contractions began. 

“Get her to push,” the doctor said to Eli. 

“Ok, Nontan. Here we go? Ready?”

Nozomi nodded. 

“Ok, with me. One, two, push.” Eli counted down and braced herself. Her hand felt like it was gonna break under the pressure of Nozomi’s grip. Her deep scream rang in her ears. 

“Again,” the doctor said as the midwife dabbed Nozomi’s forehead with damp cloth.

Eli kept it up, breathing with and encouraging Nozomi to push. 

“I see the head! Just a little more. You’re doing fine.” 

Eli repeated these words in Nozomi’s ears as she screamed through the pain. “You’re doing great. You’re amazing. You’re beautiful.” Eli pressed her forehead to the side of Nozomi’s head, feeling her sweat pooling there as Nozomi panted.

The time seemed to slow down then. The seconds becoming long minutes or even hours as Nozomi struggled and pushed, her body being transformed and changed as the life inside of her fought hard to come into the world. A few more pushes and the baby was pressing down into the birth canal. The doctor asked to her to give one more big push. She nodded and complied, putting the last bit of her energy into it. 

Beside her, Eli was holding her breath, her eyes focused on the doctor’s head between Nozomi legs. A few wet sounds were heard as the doctor’s hands reached out, grabbing at the new life that had just entered the world. A few second later Eli could breathe again as she heard the loud cry from their daughter’s lungs. 

Her heart leapt as she kissed Nozomi’s face. “You did it, Nontan. You did it. She’s beautiful.” Eli was tearing up. Her chest swelled with pride.

Dazed, exhausted, Nozomi fell back against the bed. Uncertain if she was coming or going, the only thing that was keeping her anchored was Eli’s presence and the tight grip on her hand. She mustered a watery smile as she heard her baby cry. The doctor wiping off some of the excess mess as she laid the baby, with it’s red, angry skin on Nozomi’s chest. 

Nozomi stared down in awe as the baby wiggled against her chest. The baby was upset that that she had been pulled from her warm little home and brought into the very cold room. Her little hands reached out wildly as she tried to find comfort. 

Steadying her breathing and heart beat, Nozomi held her close. She looked a mess, her body had been through an incredible ordeal but holding her baby in her arms made her feel as light as a feather. She cooed quietly to the newborn, the vibrations running through her chest working to calm her. 

“We’re so happy to see you, little one.” Nozomi was crying again. So was Eli. But they were happy tears. The baby settled into a peaceful state as she got comfortable. She recognized Nozomi’s voice.

Eli stood nearby, her hands dared not touch the two precious people in her life, afraid that they might shatter under her fingertips because they were the most important things in her life.

“I’m Nozomi. I’m your mama...” Nozomi’s watery voice was incredibly soft as she said her first words to her daughter. “I’m your mama.” She planted a kiss on the top of the downy soft wisps of lavender hair on the baby's head. The baby’s eyes were still closed. “And this is your other mom, Eli. But we’ll call her Papachika, okay?” 

“Nozomi, don’t tease.” But Eli was all smiles. She really didn’t mind the nickname. It would grow on her. And anything her daughter wanted to call her she would be alright with.

She braved it and reached out a finger to touch the newborn’s hand, stroking the skin gently. The baby tried to grab it but wasn’t able to quiet yet. It didn’t matter to Eli. She was touching her daughter for the first time. “Hi there, little one. We love you already..” 

Maki cleared her throat from beside them. Eli looked back at her. Maki was smiling as well and she nodded in congratulations. “I hate to interrupt but there’s one more thing left to do.” 

She held out a pair of surgical scissors. The blonde looked between Maki and Nozomi. Nozomi laughed quietly and nodded. Her attention turning quickly back to her daughter. 

Eli gave a quick nod and took the scissors with a ‘thank you’. She moved down to where the doctor had clamped off the umbilical cord. Her hands were shaking slightly but Maki’s presence steadied her. 

“Just snip right there,” Maki directed calmly. 

Then Eli did it. The last step. She cut the cord, making the baby officially hers and Nozomi’s. 

She handed the surgical scissors back off to Maki and then immediately returned to Nozomi’s side. She leaned down to kiss Nozomi, filling the exchange with every thought and feeling she could manage hoping that Nozomi knew exactly how much she meant to her, how much that moment meant to her. 

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you too.” Not wanting to be left out, the baby moved in her arms and let out a small noise. Looking down at her bundle of joy, Nozomi laughed as she caught her first glimpse of bright eyes, one blue, one green. 

“We didn’t forget you, don’t worry.” Eli said, rubbing her finger over the top of the baby's head. 

“Never.” Nozomi whispered to the newborn, her lips only inches from her head. “Welcome to our family.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She's here. ^.^
> 
> Also, please give Nozoroomie a huge shout out for editing the final chapters for me. She saved my life. And gave me life with her wonderful comments.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's there to say? This is the last chapter. 
> 
> Here we go.

The exhaustion of the night had finally caught up with Eli as she sat in a chair near the nursery window. While she waited for the nurses to finish cleaning up and dressing their daughter, she had to slap her face several times to keep her focus and stay awake. She took a sip from a bottle of water she’d gotten from a vending machine. She was putting off breakfast proper until she could see Nozomi again. The doctors had been working on patching her up post labor. Not to mention all the other things they had to check as she began to recover from the whole ordeal. 

‘What a crazy night,’ Eli thought as she looked through the painting on the wall across from her. But even with everything she felt happy, overjoyed, that their daughter had been born. She had briefly stopped in the waiting room to talk to her friends and let them know that everything had gone well.

Kotori had bounced happily at Umi’s side. Honoka had punched the air and started discussing what she was going to do first once she met the baby before she suddenly scurried away with a thoughtful look on her face. Eli hadn’t asked; it was better that way with Honoka sometimes. She’d reveal her plans soon enough. Shortly after, Rin and Hanayo had arrived in rush of Rin dragging her girlfriend and Eli had filled them in on all the basic details: 

A healthy baby girl who was seven pounds eight ounces and had strong lungs. 

She gushed about the little details, from the newborn's tiny toes and fingers to the wisps of lavender hair on her head, to the pink of her skin and the way she scrunched her nose up when she was trying to sleep but the nurses were still handling her. 

They’d asked, of course, when they could see her. Nico at the forefront of the questions. She seemed almost as overwhelmed by the birth as Nozomi and Eli. Assuring them that they’d get to see Nozomi and the baby as soon as they were able, she had taken a walk around the hallways until Nozomi was cleaned up enough to see her. 

And so she found herself in front of the nursery window. 

A knock on the window drew Eli’s attention. She saw a nurse behind the glass as she tried to get her attention. Eli recognized her from earlier, she’d been helping Dr. Kisara and Maki with the birth. She stood up and walked over to look into the room. The nurse held up a finger telling her to wait one moment. She turned and walked out of the room and Eli stood their watching the nursery. 

The room within held at least a dozen plastic hospital cribs, lined with soft sheets and blankets. Not all of the cribs were occupied but the ones that were held sleeping or squirming babies. At that hour of the morning it was mostly quiet except for the occasional sleepy cry. Eli smiled at the overwhelming emotions that new life brought to the surface inside her. The nurse came through the door again, a baby in her arms. The baby was dressed in a diaper and shirt, a small woolen cap on her head, just barely hiding the colorful curls beneath it. 

The nurse went over the table and proceeded to wrap the baby in another soft blanket. Eli caught a glimpse of a small band of plastic around the baby’s ankle. It read ‘Ayase/Tojo’. Her smile grew a thousand fold.

As she looked on, Eli felt a presence come up beside her. When she turned to look, she couldn’t stop the long sigh that escaped her lips. Not again.

Next to Eli stood Nozomi’s mom. Eli inwardly prepared herself for another fight but the older woman didn’t say anything as she stood there. She just watched. 

Eli caught another glimpse of her. She thought she looked defeated. Something needed to be said but it was another minute before Eli spoke. 

“I’m still mad, you know.”

“I know.” It was a simple answer. Mrs. Tojo hesitated before continuing. “My husband has informed me that I have acted inappropriately.” 

“Yeah, just a little.” Eli’s voice was dripping with sarcasm. “Why are you even still here? Nozomi said she didn’t want to see you.”

“I hoped she might change her mind.” An honest answer, but it didn’t sound very hopeful.

“Not likely. She’s exhausted and she really doesn’t need or want the stress. She’s made her decision.”

There was silence as they watched the babies through the window.

“So, what happened to your nose?” Mrs. Tojo asked.

“Why do you care?” Eli laughed dryly. 

“Just curious.” she shrugged. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” 

Eli sighed. At least she was being a little bit civil for a change. “I ran into a door. I didn’t notice it because I was in too much of a hurry trying to get Nozomi to the hospital.” she rubbed a spot on the side of the bandage. It itched.

Mrs. Tojo laughed, making Eli look at her. “What?”

“Nothing. It’s just...you sound like Saito.” 

Eli quirked her eyebrow in further question. 

“My husband.” she clarified. “He almost broke his neck running down a wax floor in the hospital when I went into labor with Nozomi.”

Eli’s smile returned as she imagined the large man being as clumsy as she had been earlier. “I guess we’re not that much different, huh?”

“I guess not.”

Eli watched the nurse take another weight measurement of her daughter. She let herself imagine the days ahead. She guessed they would be tiring but they would definitely be worth it. A fond smile played at her lips.

“You really do love her, don’t you?”

The question was left field, but Eli knew the answer right away. She puffed out her chest as she answered.

“Of course, she’s my daughter.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Mrs. Tojo felt a sting at Eli’s words. “But that is good to know. I meant, Nozomi.”

Eli locked her gaze with Mrs. Tojo so there wouldn’t be any doubt. “Yes, I do. With all of my heart.”

A nod. An acknowledgement of that fact from Nozomi’s mother. Eli thought she might be imagining things because this was a first. A first step towards acceptance. 

“I didn’t want things to turn out like this.” Mrs. Tojo was looking back at the nursery. “I never meant to hurt anyone. Especially not my daughter. I just...” She searched for the words in her mind. There were a lot of thoughts and feelings to sort through. The day had been quite sobering. “I never thought my own daughter would hate me.” She shook her head.

“Nozomi doesn’t hate you.” Eli snorted.

“Yes she does.”

“No. She doesn’t hate anyone. Not even you. She doesn’t have it in her to hate.” Eli said fondly. “Is she upset? Yes. Sad? Definitely. Especially at the reality that you haven’t accepted her or the family she’s chosen for herself. You clearly don’t like me and not to sound overly proud, but she’s chosen me as the most important person in her life and I’m going to do my damnedest to not let her down. Then there is the rest of μ's who have rallied around her from the moment they met her. But you don’t like them either because you had the idiot thought that becoming an idol and hanging out with all of us ‘made her gay’.” 

Eli’s words were biting, accusatory, but she still hadn’t even raised her voice. She was too tired and this woman didn’t deserve hardly any of her remaining energy. 

“I mean, You don’t even like Honoka. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like Honoka.” She laughed quietly. “Hate to break it to you, Nozomi was attracted to women long before we met her. You just never noticed or cared because you were always working.”

In the nursery, across the room, the nurse had finished her tasks with the baby. The reddish-pink of her newborn skin stands out starkly against the white and beige of the room as the nurse bounced the baby who had began to cry. Eli could hear it through the glass and she did the first thing that comes to mind; she taps on the glass barrier between them. The nurse took the hint, carrying their daughter over to the window so Eli can see her.

The baby’s eyes were shut and she looked quite grumpy. The blanket she was swaddled in keeping her hands bound but Eli could see her trying to move them if the little ripples in the fabric were any indication.

Eli’s placed her hand on the glass, moving her index finger in a kind of wave. The nurse continued to bounce her and she smiled at Eli. “Hey, there, don’t cry now.” Eli spoke through the glass. The baby began to calm down. “That’s a good girl. It’s me, your Mama Eli. Or I guess, your Papachika.” Eli joyous laugh resonated between the two. “But don’t let your Mama Nontan know that I said it was okay to call me that. I still have my pride to think of.” 

For that moment the world was just her and her daughter. She was amazed that she and Nozomi had made her. “Your mama Nontan is resting, but we’ll see you and hold you very soon, okay?” 

The nurse bounced the baby one more time and steps back to place the baby in her crib. The little girl rustled and opens her mouth, letting out some other soft noise Eli had trouble hearing but eventually settles down. Eli’s hand remained on the glass as she’s caught up in the moment.

“I remember when Nozomi was born.”

Eli attention came back to reality. She looked at Mrs. Tojo, who had decided to speak.

“She was so little. Born a few weeks too early.” the woman continued on as if lost in her memories. Her eyes were on her grandchild. “She was fragile and underweight. She stayed in the hospital for the better part of a month. But when we finally got to bring her home we were so happy. We did our best to protect her from things. We were cautious because she was so small.”

Eli was surprised. Nozomi had never told her this before. 

“But she got healthy and grew like she was supposed to. No developmental issues. And she was happy. We were happy. I watched over her the best I could.” Mrs. Tojo frowned. “But there was always work. Balancing it with raising a child is never easy. My husband was always gone and I was going from job to job so we could make ends meet. Getting by was extremely difficult in those first years but we managed. And then we were offered the jobs we have now. The money was good. But we had to travel a lot. I worried about moving so often. But Nozomi seemed alright with it even if it took her some time to get used to.”

“She acted like she was alright with it. What other choice did she have? She was a child who was dependent on her parents.” Eli laughed darkly. “She never said a word because she didn’t want to upset you.”

“She was a good daughter.” Mrs. Tojo looked remorseful as they continued to watch the sleeping newborns.

“She’s a good person.” Eli corrected. “But that’s not because you taught her how to be. She figured that out on her own. You left her on her own to figure it out.” 

“I can’t deny that. But I did want what was best for her. I still do.”

“Is that what you call it?” She snorted. “Leaving your child to grow up one their own because you are absent and too busy with work to come home for dinner most nights isn't exactly my idea of ‘wanting what is best for them’. Seems neglectful.”

The older woman looked down. Eli chanced a glance at her. The years and stress of her way of life showed across the woman’s face, in every wrinkle and crack. Eli might have felt pity for her but she was still upset at her and how Nozomi had grown up. They’d done their best to move on and make a happy life but she wasn’t sure that Nozomi’s mom knew what damage she had done.

“Did you know how lonely she felt?” Eli probed.

“I had an idea of it, but she was always smiling.”

“She does hides it well.” Both women said at the same time. A shared glance but no humor in it. “Even from me sometimes. It’s how she is. She hides what hurts her. She holds it deep down inside until it springs forth and can’t contain it anymore. She’s gotten better about it over the years that I’ve known her. She’s grown a lot as a person and I’ve been fortunate to see that and be apart of it.”

‘Unlike you,’ Eli thought, meanly.

Nozomi’s mother didn’t respond, so Eli kept going.

“She was always lonely. Even after she got to settle in one place and come Otonokizaka.” Putting her hands in her pockets, Eli ran her fingers over the engagement ring she had gotten for Nozomi. She’d put it there when Nozomi had started having contractions at their new home. She traces the hearts set in the band as she talks. “But slowly she found her way out of it. She got to be happy. She made friends. It was the first time she could stay anywhere and try to make a home for herself. She lived alone---”

“I know all of this.” the older woman interjected, but her voice was shaky. She was on shaky grounds. “Why are you telling me what I know about my own daughter?”

“Do you?” Eli shot her a look. “What do you actually know about her? About who she has become?”

Mrs. Tojo didn’t have a proper response. At least not one that felt like it was enough as she met Eli’s gaze. “Only what she’s told me,” She answered quietly. 

“And I would hazard a guess that that isn’t much,” She stated wryly. 

“What does that mean?” The woman shot back.

“It means that Nozomi doesn’t tell you much about her life because you don’t listen to her. She confessed to me that whenever she would call you that first year she was living on her own that you and her father would be in such a hurry that you would cut her off, even if you did ask about how her school was or how she was doing. She started abbreviating her life long ago because it was what was easiest for you, her parents.” Eli pointed out. “She hid who she was from everyone. But she still tried to smile. She even tried to make friends with me because she thought I was the one who needed it. That I was like her and I needed a friend, someone to lower my walls for. When, really, it was her who needed someone to care about her. It took me eight months before I found out that she lived on her own. Eight.” She removed, her hands from her pockets and held up the fingers, driving her point home. “She always insisted that her parents were busy with work and didn’t want visitors at the house but I think she was ashamed. She’d been to my house and met my family several times before that and each time she did there was this look in her eyes that I couldn’t figure out. She looked lost.”

Mrs. Tojo was looking at nothing now. Her eyes unfocused. Images of her young daughter passing through her mind as she recalled those conversations they had had about her life - what little there was to recall. “I’m unsure of your point, Ayase-san. It seems cruel to bring it up, especially now.” Her mouth was dry as a bone as she talked.

“My point is that you know nothing about her. You drove her away and even when she wanted to come back to you to tell you the important things in her life you laughed at her or got angry at her for sharing herself with you. I was there when she told you over the phone that she was gay.” Eli recalled the memory, she had been sitting on the bed next to Nozomi, holding her hand at the time. And she had been there afterwards to hold her when she cried after she hung up the phone. It had been their second year of high school. 

“You yelled at her for making such an ugly joke, for even thinking that way. And you certainly didn’t take it well the next year when she finally told you we were dating. She never told me all of the names you called me but I have a pretty good imagination so I can surmise what you said.” She tapped her temple with a finger.

“I’m not proud of that...” the woman murmured. “I just wanted what was best for her...”

“There you go with that phrase again.” Eli groaned.

“It’s the truth!” the woman’s fists were clenched at her side. 

“Do you even know what that  _ means _ ?” Eli stared her down again, the two looking eyes as a silent epic battle took place between them.

“What was  _ best _ for her was to love her unconditionally. What was  _ best _ for her was to listen to what she was saying to you and maybe, I dunno, help her through her fears and worries. What was  _ best  _ for her would have been for you to put her over your work and allow her to actually have parents!”

Eli’s anger was cold and pointed like a knife. Nozomi’s mom was silent, looking ashamed at the ground. 

“Nozomi, despite all of your efforts, is a beautiful, wonderful person who puts others before herself. She’s never hated anyone in her life -not even you- though, I would argue you deserve her anger. She’s kind and big-hearted and she’ll be a thousand times better at being a mother than you or hell even my mother- and I had a pretty good mom.” Eli laughed, running a hand through her untidy hair. It had long since came loose from her hair tie. She decided to take it out, then. And she shook her hair loose, feeling freer, lighter - but that might have been the years of things she wanted to say to Nozomi’s mom off of her chest.

“Yes, Nozomi will be the best mom in the world and she will love that little girl,” she jabbed a finger in the direction of the nursery. “More than she’ll love herself. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. So, you standing here, reminiscing about the small amount of time when you actually loved your daughter will do no good. Your words fall on my deaf ears because I’m smart enough to know how lucky I am to be able to have been by her side this whole time.”

Eli felt the tears prickling at the edge of her vision. “I know how lucky I am that she chose to become my friend, to let me into her amazing, whimsical world. She’s allowed me to love her and she’s chosen to love me back. And we now have a miracle of a daughter who will be the light of our lives. And if you had an OUNCE of sense you would realize just how much you’ve lost in this instead of condemning me for taking your daughter away. Because the truth is you lost her a long time ago because of your actions!” 

The last word echoed down the hallway. Eli had struggled to get it all out but now that it was in the air between them there was nothing to be done about it. 

Her next words were quieter. “So, now, if you’ll excuse me I need to go check up on the woman I love. She’s had quite the long night and I want to see her.”

Eli began to walk away. There was nothing more she needed to say. 

She was, however, stopped halfway down the hall when Nozomi’s mother finally found her voice. It was small, afraid.

“Do you think Nozomi will ever forgive me?”

“That’s not for me to say. Nozomi makes her own decisions.” Eli heaved a great sigh. She was too tired for this. She shrugged her shoulders and didn’t look back. 

“But she won’t want to see me again.” the older woman’s voice was broken. 

“Again, not for me to say,” Eli continued to walk away. “Do some soul searching first. Maybe you’ll find the answer you’re looking for. If you do, try again. But I warn you, I won’t let you hurt her or my daughter again.”

Eli heard the footsteps behind her as Mrs. Tojo left. She felt satisfied, but she didn’t enjoy thought of telling Nozomi about her mother still being at the hospital. She just hoped the older woman and her husband wouldn’t be foolish enough to interfere again.

Maki walked up just as Mrs. Tojo turned out of the hallway. She raised an eyebrow in question. “I thought she had left. What did she want?” 

“Nothing.” Eli murmured, rubbing the palms of her hands against her eyes. She couldn’t go see Nozomi looking like she had been crying, even if it was the truth.

Maki didn’t mention it if she noticed. She waited.

“Did you need something, Maki?” Eli asked at last. 

“Hmm? Oh, right.” Maki stopped mid hair twirl. She was staring at wall next to her and snapped her attention back to Eli. She offered a small smile. “How’s the nose?”

“It’s fine. Sore, but fine.” 

“Good to know. You still owe me the full story. And judging from the nurses at the front desk talking about it, it will be a fun one.” She smirked.

Eli groaned. “Fine. You deserve it for helping deliver my child.”

“Good. Also, I came to tell you that doctor is finished with Nozomi for now. She’s been moved to a room 4019. Nico’s with her right now. But she’s asking for you now that she’s had a small rest.”

“Got it. I’ll head there now. Thanks, Maki.” Eli said. 

“Don’t mention it. It’s my job after all.” Maki smiled bashfully at her friend. “Congratulations, by the way. She’s a beautiful baby. You’ll be able to see her as soon as Nozomi feels up for it. First feeding and all.” 

Eli nodded, smiling quietly to herself, feeling caught up in that rush of proud emotion once more. She pulled Maki into a hug, catching her off guard.

“EH?!” Maki squeaked as Eli clutched her tightly. 

“Thanks for backing me up in there, Maki. For standing up for us and for being here.”

Maki’s hands slowly patted Eli’s back as she relaxed and returned the hug. Only Nico ever hugged her those days but the sensation of Eli hugging her wasn’t unpleasant. “Anytime. It’s what friends are for, right?”

Nodding, Eli pulled away, wiping her eyes again. 

“Nozomi’s right, you  _ are _ a cry baby.” Maki teased, punching her lightly on the shoulder. 

“Nozomi’s always right.” Eli laughed. 

“Scarily so.” Maki snorted. “Kind of annoying.”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She smiled as she jogged towards Nozomi’s hospital room. 

“Oh, Eli!” Maki called after her. “One more thing I need to tell you...” 

Eli quirked a brow in question at the smug look on Maki’s face.

\---

The morning sun had crept through the window in Nozomi’s room when she hadn’t been looking. The yellows and oranges of the light bounced off the quiet snow outside and settled over the blankets on the foot of her bed and slowly moved over her legs as the sun continued to rise. She was used to rising early from her days as a shrine maiden but it was always different seeing the sunrise after being up for the entire night. That wasn’t entirely true, though. She’d managed to slip in a small nap in between the doctor’s and nurses coming in and out of her room but that had only been about ten minutes of interrupted sleep. The long night was seeping into her bones she laid back against the bed, her eyes closed. 

Nico was there with her. She’d brought the bag from her apartment, as requested, and had busied herself with setting up things in the room so they were easier for her to access. Her book and laptop were on the table beside the bed in case she wanted it and her phone was charging nearby if she needed it. Nico had also gotten her a few bottles of water and a fresh cup of ice chips. Eli’s snacks that she’d brought to the delivery room earlier were also there when Nozomi felt like eating something. 

A bowl of water and wash cloth had been acquired from the nurse’s station when Nico had seen her unruly state. Nozomi had brushed it off but Nico had insisted on helping her change into one of her own nightdresses so she was at least comfortable. That had also been in the bag. 

“There. Doesn’t that feel better.” Nico straighten the collar of the nightdress around Nozomi’s neck, tucking in the tag in the bag. It wasn’t going to stick up on her watch.

“It does,” Nozomi gave her a tired smile. “Thanks, Nicocchi.” 

“You’re welcome, but we’re not done yet.” Nico wrung out the washcloth into the bowl and sat close to Nozomi on the edge of the bed. “Let’s clean your face a little more and that’ll help.”

She dabbed the damp cloth at Nozomi’s forehead, getting rid of the leftover sweat that lingered there. Using a gentle hand, she made sure that she got every inch of Nozomi’s face. “Okay, look up for me.” 

Nozomi did. Nico wiped the remains of the previous night’s makeup away, revealing a clean glowing face. She felt protective as she worked and smiled when she was satisfied with the result. Returning the cloth to the bowl, she rinsed out the gunk and wrung it once more, the water becoming clouded as the droplets returned to the whole. 

“Better.” She nodded. “Now arms.” 

Nozomi let out a low chuckled but complied, holding out each arm in turn as Nico gave her a quick sponge back. 

“Never would I have thought that the great Super Idol Nico-Ni would be giving me a sponge bath.” Nozomi teased gently. 

“That’s because you think too small,” Nico volleyed back. “Super idols are all about community service. And what kind of friend and Godmother would I be if I didn’t make sure I looked after you.”

Nico glanced up momentarily, a tender smile playing at her lips. Then she continued with the other arm, careful not to demand too much from Nozomi as she helped her feel more refreshed. Nico would rarely admit it but she always felt the closest to her friends and family when she was helping them. And she was happy to see that Nozomi was appreciating it.

“Where would I be without you?” Nozomi mused.

“Probably still sticky.” Nico laughed. “Or at the hands of your banana of a girlfriend. I still can’t believe she broke her nose.” She rolled her eyes.

“That’s Eli for you. But she’s mine.”

“Better you than me.” She smirked. But truth was she’s quite fond of the blonde despite her shortcomings. There was a reason she was one of her best friends. She put the washcloth back into the bowl and reached for the hairbrush. “Think you can lean forward a bit?” 

“Are you giving me a makeover?” Nozomi sat up and let Nico sit in the tight space behind her so she could reach.

“No, that would take much longer. I just want you to look the best you can and not feel so disheveled when you see your baby again.”

“But Eli’s already seen me like this. Arguably worse.” She laughed.

“Ha Ha. You know what I mean. So, be quiet and enjoy the pampering.” 

“I might be persuaded, but only if you tell me why you’re still in your pajamas?” Nozomi smirked. 

“I said quiet, you.” Nico poked her shoulder with the end of the brush. 

Nozomi laughed but then did settle in quietly as Nico carefully brushed her long hair. She straightened the part and her bangs then ran her fingers through her hair, making Nozomi purr lightly. 

“Weirdo.” Nico rolled her eyes.

“It feels good. Leave me alone.” Nozomi snorted and Nico continued brushing and then re-braiding her hair.

“I’m proud of you, you know.” 

Nozomi turned her head in Nico’s direction.

“Don’t look at me like that. I am.” Nico stated. “You deserve every bit of happiness you have. You’ve earned it. And you’re gonna be an amazing mom.”

Nozomi looked forward again, the warmth in her cheeks distracting her. “..thank you..” she said quietly. 

“Anytime.” Nico responded, laying her chin on Nozomi’s shoulder, sharing the moment between them. “I’ll be here if you ever need anything. And I’ll be coming to you for advice when I’m the pregnant one.”

“You mean..?” 

Nico nodded, with shy smile. “I took your advice. Maki’s on board.”

Nozomi shifted to wrap her arms around Nico pulling her into a hug. “I’m happy for you.”

A knock on the door drew their attention but neither of them could see around the curtain that had been drawn around that side of the bed. They moved apart and Nico went back to tending to Nozomi’s hair.

“Come in.” Nozomi called out.

Footsteps and then a head of blonde hair poking around the corner as Eli popped into the room.  “Am I interrupting?” She was unsure.

“Never.” Nozomi smiled.  

“I was just finishing up making her look presentable. You’ve got good timing. The work's all done.” Nico looped the hair band over the end of the braid and set it on Nozomi’s shoulder. 

“Don’t mind her. I’m glad you’re back,” Nozomi reached her hand out, beckoning Eli closer. 

She stepped forward and kissed Nozomi. The bed shifted under Nico’s weight as she got up. She put Nozomi’s brush back in her bag as she let her friends have a moment.

“How are you feeling?” Eli asked, sitting on the edge of the bed. She ran a hand against Nozomi’s cheek. 

“I’m still tired but I’m better. Nicocchi’s been taking good care of me.” Nozomi leaned into her hand. 

“That’s good,” Eli chuckled. She turned to Nico. “Thank you.”

“It’s what I do.” Nico rounded the bed. “I’m gonna go give an update to the others. I’ll let you two have some privacy.”

Nico left the room. 

Letting out a sigh of contentment, Nozomi slouched back into the pillows on her bed. 

“You look beautiful.” Eli watched her.

“You’re are a bad liar.” Nozomi hummed as she held Eli’s hand. 

“No, I’m serious. You’re always beautiful but I feel like I’m seeing you for the first time all over again.” 

“Well get a good look because I’m not doing this again for a little while.” Nozomi laughed.

Eli shifted closer. “That’s fair, you’ve earned a good long rest, I think.” She rubbed her fingers over the back of Nozomi’s hand as they sat there. 

“Did you see her?”

“Yeah, in the nursery. She’s amazing.”

“She is and she’s ours.” Nozomi lopped their fingers together.

“Maki said you could see her again as soon as you’re ready.” Eli explained. “Do you want me to go get the nurse?”

“In a minute. Come here.” 

She made room for Eli on the bed and she turned to her side. Eli wrapped her arms around her from behind and settled against sheets with her, placing a kiss to Nozomi’s neck. 

“You okay? After everything...earlier, I mean.” 

“I think so, yeah,” Nozomi breathed. “I’ll be fine, in time. I’m sad but that’s not gonna prevent me from continuing to live my life how I want. A decision had to be made. I only wish it hadn’t been so awful. What a day.”

“Yeah, I know. But you stood up to her. You were strong and you know what makes you happy. I think it finally sank in for her.”

Nozomi didn’t comment on that as she watched out the window. 

“I really wish it wasn’t like this for you,” Eli continued. “But you’ve got me. You’ve got our friends. And my family will spoil you and the baby so much that they’ll hardly let you think about the sad things.” 

That made Nozomi laugh. “I have no doubt about that.” She gathered Eli’s arms tighter around her chest. 

“Oh, remember that insufferable nurse from the last time we were here?”

“The one you threatened with your Russian mafia ties?” 

“The very one.” She said. “Maki discovered that she was the one who called your parents. She was apparently still mad about that and decided to interject herself into things by calling them even though I was here. Their phone numbers were still in your file. Emphasis on the ‘were’.” 

“Oh no. So, I’m guessing...”

“Yep. Maki fired her.” The grin on Eli’s face was filled with uncontrollable delight. “It was a very public affair from I hear and as Maki told it the entire thing was quite satisfying. To quote her: ‘You don’t fuck with my family.’”

“She didn’t...” Nozomi laughed.

“She did. And she took your parents out of your medical file just incase. So, we don’t have to worry about that happening again.”

“I’ll have to thank her later. But I didn’t want the woman fired. It was a terrible situation all around, though.”

“It was, but it’s over now. We don’t have to think about them for a long while. And you don’t have to see them again unless you want to. I think you made that very clear.” Eli’s conversation with Mrs. Tojo would wait for another day. For now, Nozomi deserved some rest. “By the way, when we get out of here, I’m buying you dinner.”

“That does sound good. Hospital food is terrible.”

“It’ll be our first post pregnancy date. I aim to treat you.” Eli nuzzled against her shoulder.

“Thank you. For everything.” Nozomi whispered. Eli shook her head against Nozomi’s shoulder as she pressed another kiss to the back of her neck. 

“I’m the lucky one, you know. I get to be here with you.” 

Nozomi hummed softly, the feeling tickling the hairs on the back of her neck. Eli always reminded her of how much she loved her through everything she did. Her thoughts drifted back to the house and how each detail had been carefully planned, right down to the nursery. She remembered the beautiful tree Eli had painted on the walls and she imagined Eli’s face scrunched up in concentration as she applied paint to eat flower petal over the last few weeks. Then there had been the final surprise of the evening. She felt guilty about it. She hadn’t gotten to answer properly.

“Eli?”

“Hmm?” The sunlight was now laying over the both of them.

“I never got to---”

Footsteps and the sound of wheels against the tile interrupted them. The nurse rolled their daughter into the room inside her crib. 

“And how’s the new mama doing?” She smiled at them. 

Eli got up quickly and helped Nozomi sit up. 

“I’m fine. Tired but fine.” Nozomi said, her eyes locked onto the crib, or rather, the small bundle inside of it that was squirming. “How’s our girl?”

“She’s hungry.” The nurse said, jovially. “It’s time for little girl’s first feeding, if you’re up for it.”

“I am.” 

The nurse nodded and gently picked up the bundled baby and walked over to put her in Nozomi’s arms. Eli stood out of the way as she did, but she watched with interest. 

“Should I..uh, go?” she asked.

“No, you should stay since you’re the other parent,” the nurse explained as she helped Nozomi hold her in the position so she could breastfeed. “Plus, you’ll be seeing a lot of this soon enough.”

Eli blushed. “Yeah,” she cleared her throat. “You’re right.” 

The nurse left the room, giving them their privacy. She said to call her if there were any issues. Eli took note of that and leaned against the wall as Nozomi breastfed. 

“Ya don’t have to stand all the way over there, ya know?” 

“I know, but I didn’t want to crowd you.” 

“You’re fine. Get over here and sit with us.”

Eli sat next to Nozomi, watching her and their daughter. They looked so peaceful. Her face hurt a bit from all the smiling she had been doing. But that was a good problem to have.

“She’s beautiful, isn’t she?” Nozomi stroked the top of the baby’s head as she ate.  

“Next to her mama, she’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.” Eli stroked Nozomi’s arm a few times. “She’s finally here. I’m still in awe that she’s real.”

“I know. But she’s here where we can hold her now. I foresee many adventures for our little family from now on.”

“Me too,” Eli agreed.

The baby seemed to have her fill, her tiny tummy sated for the time being. She pulled away and began to squirm. 

“Can ya place the burp rag the nurse left on my shoulder?” Nozomi asked.

Eli nodded as she got up. She returned with the rag and draped it neatly over Nozomi’s left shoulder. When that was done, Nozomi lifted and placed the newborn against her shoulder. 

“She was hungry.” Nozomi said as she softly patted her hands against the small back. 

“Well, I suppose it’s hard work being born. She worked up an appetite. She’s got strong lungs too.” Eli was amused, remembering the nursery and the deliver room right after she had come out.

“I recall that part. We’re in for a loud time, if that’s any sign of things to come.”

The baby burped loudly, making both of them laugh.

“Definitely in for a loud time.” 

The baby settled against Nozomi’s shoulder as the minutes ticked by. She saw Eli watching her with careful precision, taking in all of her tiny movements. 

“Do you want to hold her?” Nozomi asked. Eli swallowed. She was nervous, but she nodded. 

“Ok, come here. Hold your hand like this.” She instructed and Eli carefully took her. 

The baby was soft and warm against Eli’s arms. She smiled down at the little girl and carefully rocked her after she let out a soft cry of protest at having been transferred from her mother. “It’s alright little one.” Eli said to her. “I’ve got you.” 

“I like you like this. Domestic.” Nozomi considered the perfect picture that Eli made when holding their daughter. “I’d take a picture but I didn’t pack my camera.”

Eli chuckled softly. “I think that can wait until later.” She spoke to the baby. “Can’t it?”

The baby yawned in response as she settled against Eli’s chest, her colors fascinated her as they were hidden behind sleepy eyelids.

“The eye color is surprising, don’t you think?” Nozomi asked her. 

“I love them. They are the best of both of us.”

“She is perfect.” 

“Yes. I can’t stop thinking that either, Nontan.”

“She is. But there’s one more thing we still need to think about. We need to give her a proper name.” 

“That’s true. We still have a few days to decide. Did you still like the ones you were thinking about?” 

“I do like them, but I’m not sure. What do you think?”

“Well, I...” Eli paused. She’d been debating whether or not to bring up her idea to Nozomi. 

“What is it?” 

“Well, I had a thought. And seeing her, I can’t help but think that I want her to have something from us in her name. The kanji in your names means ‘hope’ or ‘wish’, right?”

“Yes. And your kanji means...” she scrunched up her face in thought. “ Picture and hometown , if I recall.” 

“Yep. Not exactly pretty or attractive to combine as a meaning with anything else.” A laugh. “But when I look at her I am reminded of you and how my heart is always blossoming with love for you. And now I feel the same about her. So, if you’ll humor me, Nozomi, I’d like to give her the kanji from your name. I think we should call her ‘Saki’.”

Nozomi was speechless. Eli wondered if she had said the wrong thing. 

“Sa-ki...” Nozomi said as she looked at her daughter. 

“A blossom of hope.” Eli smiled, before tempting fate and looking up at her. “What do you think?” 

“Saki...” Nozomi let the full name roll around on her tongue. “Saki Ayase.” She reached out her hand to stroke the baby’s cheek. “I think it suits her.” 

“Really?” Eli beamed at her but then paused. “Wait, shouldn’t she have your last name?” Eli asked. “You’re the one that gave birth to her.”

Nozomi put a finger to her lips, shushing her. “One, don’t wake her up. And two, no, because she should have your last name since I’m going to take it too.”

Eli was stunned. She blinked. And blinked again. 

“What?” her voice trembled. She hoped she wasn’t imagining things.

“I never got to give you a proper answer before.” Nozomi placed her hand to the side of Eli’s face, caressing it. “I didn’t mean to make you worry about my answer.”

“You mean you’ll marry me?”

“Of course. I’d marry you a thousands times over if I could.” Nozomi leaned in to kiss her but Eli was already eagerly there, pressing her lips against Nozomi’s. 

“I promise I’ll make you happy,” Eli said when she pulled away. 

There were more tears. It was a day for tears. 

“Ya already do.” 

\---

The room was full of energy when the rest of the μ's came in to visit. Nico was the first one through the door, managing to beat Rin in a race to get to the baby. 

“I’m her Godmother so it’s only fair that I be the first one of us to hold her,” Nico sat on the edge of Nozomi’s bed.

“But you didn’t have to shove me out of the way,” Rin whined and rubbed her ribs.

“It’s your fault for running into my elbow.” Nico took in every detail of the baby’s appearance and her eyes sparkled with happiness as Nozomi placed her in her arms. 

“Just watch her head,” Nozomi instructed. 

“I know, who do you think you’re talking to?” Nico smirked. “I’m already the best at this. I’ve got three younger siblings after all. Cotarou was barely out of diapers when I started taking care of him.”

“That doesn’t mean you should be reckless,” Eli laughed as she stood next to Nozomi with her arm around her shoulders. 

“Hello, little one,” Nico said, ignoring Eli. She was a pro, so there really wasn’t anything to worry about with Nico. “I’m your Auntie Nico. I’ll be taking care of you when you’re useless banana of a second mother doesn’t know what to do.”

“Hey!” Eli frowned. 

Nozomi laughed and tried to soothe her bruised ego. 

Nico snorted. “You’re too easy. Lighten up. But I am gonna be here for everything she’ll need. Super Idol Nico-Ni gives the best advice after all! All the good beauty tips and how to give your best smile. A smile is important for an aspiring idol,” She ducked her head next to the baby’s face as she smiled tenderly at her. Nico was immediately invested in the newborn with a fierce abandonment. 

Meanwhile, Hanayo was consoling a still moping Rin. “You’ll get your turn with her, just be patient,” she patted her on the back.

“Yes, Rin-chan, you’ll get to hold her but you need to be gentle.” Nozomi said. “You can all hold her if you want to.” 

“I’ll be the most gentle!” Rin nodded seriously. “We’re gonna get along famously. I’ve got lots to teach her too! I’m gonna teach her how to play soccer and run track and we’re gonna watch sports and I’m gonna show her all of the awesome cartoons that I love.”

“Oh, and I can show her all of the latest idols that I’ve found. All the indie ones that are up and coming!” Hanayo joined into Rin’s enthusiasm, their voices reaching a higher pitch.

“Hey! I was gonna do that!” Nico pouted. “But I guess I’ll let you do it with me. Since you are the second most specialist in the group when it comes to idol knowledge.” 

Hanayo had stars in her eyes. “Yes, we’ll make sure she knows all the important things. We’ll go to concerts with her too!”

“Woah, woah,” Eli held up her hands. “First of all, can we keep it to a dull roar. Second of all, she was just born. Let’s leave the future to the future. I’d like to enjoy this moment right now.”

“That’s very sensible,” Umi clapped her hand on Eli’s shoulder. “Congratulations to both of you. She looks like a strong baby.” 

Eli chuckled at Umi’s formality.

“Oh, I’d love to hold her too,” Kotori stood next to Nico, watching the baby with dreamy look in her eyes.“Oooo, she’s so small and beautiful. And look at her eyes. You’ve got a stunner on your hands.”

“They’re so sparkly!” Rin tugged Hanayo closer as Nico raised the baby so they could see better. 

Nozomi watched each of her friends reacting to meeting her daughter for the first time. Each one of their enthusiasm showed in different ways. Hanayo stood in quiet awe as Rin was latched onto her arm as she bounced up and down. Umi took up her post next to Eli, alternating between talking over serious details with Eli (like whether or not she knows how to properly install the baby’s car seat) and watching Kotori when she had her turn holding the baby. The love in her eyes told endless stories about what would come next for the couple. 

“Where’s Honoka-chan and Maki-chan?” Nozomi asked. The missing elements of their friend circle were quite obvious.

As soon as she asked, a very tired looking Maki walked in the door. 

“There she is!” Rin pointed at her. 

“Eh?” Maki stopped in her tracks. “There she is what?”

“There you are!” Rin grinned, coming over to glomp her friend into a hug. 

“R-rin.” Maki whined. “You’re hugging too tightly.” But Maki really didn’t mind. She patted her back as she let go. 

“Oops! Sorry!” Rin giggled, not looking sorry at all. “We’re just glad you’re here now.”

“About time you joined us.” Nico gestured her closer. 

“I’ve been busy helping since last night’s little snow storm made the hospital shorthanded. What have you been doing?” She bumped Nico with her hip, catching her off guard. 

“Just because you own the hospital doesn’t mean you get to be cheeky.” Nico harrumphed. “I’ve been here doing my duty as Godmother.” 

“I’m sure you have.” Maki smirked and looked at Nozomi. “Has she dressed her in frills yet? Or taught her the ‘Nico-Ni’?” 

“Not yet,” laughed Nozomi. “But give her time and I’m sure she’ll get around to it.”

“Ha Ha. You doubt what’s most important for a child.” Nico booped Maki on the nose, causing her to cross her eyes temporarily. “I’ve got this in the bag.”

“Well, we found Maki-chan. But where did Honoka-chan get off to?” Nozomi looked at Eli.

“She scampered off earlier when I went to the waiting room,” Eli shrugged. “I have no idea where she got off to but with the snow she couldn’t have gotten far.”

“It’s Honoka,” Umi pinched the bridge of her nose with a fond annoyance. “It could be anything. Bless her.”

“She’ll be back soon, I think.” Kotori responded as she passed the baby to the next person.

“I hope so,” said Eli. “Everyone has to be here otherwise it isn’t right.”

“Wait! Nozomi-chan, Eli-chan, what’s her name?” It was Rin’s turn to hold the baby. She was trying to get the newborn to respond to the cat sounds she was making, but having no luck other than getting a few gurgles. Hanayo had laid her head on Rin’s shoulder as she played with the baby's’ fingers. 

“Saki. Our little blossom of hope.” Eli kissed her forehead and nodded. 

“Yes,” Nozomi beamed. “Saki Ayase.” 

The room fell into a round of ‘awwws’ as they fawned over the baby’s name. 

“It’s perfect!” Kotori clapped.

“Saki-chan!” Rin  bounced the baby. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“A worthy name.” Umi nodded approvingly. 

“It’s you.” Maki smirked at Nozomi. “Kind of sappy. But right.”

“You can thank Elichi for it. She had the idea.” She hummed happily. “That reminds me.” 

She nudged Eli to get her to lean down. “Do you have it with you?” 

Eli was confused but caught on as Nozomi gave her a look. “Oh! Yes!” She fumbles as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the ring. 

“We have some other good news to share.” Eli said, bashfully, as she slid the ring onto Nozomi’s ring finger. 

“I said yes.” Nozomi giggled as Rin, Kotori, and Hanayo all squealed loudly. 

Maki smiled and Umi clapped Eli on the back again. 

“Was there any other answer? I mean, c’mon you’re like goals.” Nico rolled her eyes, but the smile playing on her face gave her happiness away. 

“Thanks, Nico.” Eli smiled.

“You’ll be the first of us to officially tie the knot!” Kotori slipped into daydream mode. “I can plan your wedding. I’ve got this wonderful fabric for a wedding dress. And Eli, maybe you can wear a suit. I know just the cut that would work on you that will make you look dashing!”

“Kotori, “ Umi said gently. “Don’t get ahead of yourself here. They might want a traditional shrine wedding.”

“Oh, that changes the entire design!” Kotori frowned. “But I think I can pull it off too.”

“We’ll let you know what we decide, don’t worry.” Nozomi settled back against the bed. “But we’ve got some time before we set a date. We’ve got to settle into our new family life first. And our new house.”

“I’m back!” Honoka appeared in the doorway. She was holding a bright pink box in her hands. “What did I miss? Oh, the baby! She’s beautiful!”

With the increase in volume in the room, little Saki was getting cranky. Her cries of frustration as she wiggled her arms in front of her made the group go ‘awwww’ once more. Rin started to panic because she didn’t know what to do.

“I didn’t mean to do anything.” Rin looked like she was going to cry too as the baby started to cry. 

“Ya didn’t do anything, Rin-chan. Bring her here.” Nozomi held out her arms and Rin laid the baby back in her mother’s arms. 

Nozomi rocked and bounced her, whispering soothing things to her. It didn’t take long

“Did I make her cry?” Honoka frowned, clutching the box. 

“No, she’s just a little overwhelmed. And we’re all tired.” Nozomi looked up at Eli. Dark circles were forming under Eli’s eyes, complementing the slight bruising around the bandage that was still on her nose. 

“Where did you run off to earlier, Honoka?” Eli swiped a stray hair out of Nozomi’s face for her as she asked.

“Oh! I went to get donuts!” Honoka opened the box she was holding, presenting it proudly to the group.

“Why...donuts?” Umi blinked at her. “There are all sorts of other foods that they have in the cafeteria and vending machines that you could have eaten.”

“Oh, they’re not for me! I figured that after such a long night and working so hard to give birth to the baby that Nozomi-chan would be hungry! And I don’t know a better food than pastries, so donuts it was since the shop was right down the street!” She looked quite pleased with herself. “And since no one was out because of the snow, I was able to pick all of the best ones. I got jelly-filled, and original, and oh! Chocolate glazed and then these ones with strawberries on them and this fun looking one that has coconut on it...” 

“Honoka...” Umi sighed. 

“What? I thought jelly filled were your favorite, Umi-chan?” Honoka scratched her head. 

“I do, but this isn’t a proper breakfast for anyone let alone, Nozomi!” She scolded. “Nozomi needs something nutritious while she’s recovering. Donuts are far too high in sugar.”

“But donuts are delicious! And even if they aren’t healthy, she deserves a treat!” Honoka protested.

Umi grabbed the box of donuts from Honoka’s hands. She shut the lid and held them out of her reach. 

“Yes, she does but like I said those aren’t good for her. It’s just like you to trek out into the middle of the snow just to go get some donuts.” Umi scowled. “You need to think about these things before you go out and do them.”

Kotori placed a hand on Umi’s shoulder to draw her attention. “Is it really that bad?” She asked gently. “It’s the thought that counts and one donut isn’t going to hurt Nozomi-chan.”

Umi’s hard demeanor softened under Kotori’s words. She looked back at Honoka, who was looking like a kicked puppy. “You coddle her too much...” Umi murmured before she took a deep breath and exhaling it out of her nose. “But I suppose you’re right.” 

Honoka perked up.

“But only one donut.” Umi pointed between the box and Nozomi.

Nozomi was beyond amused. Honoka’s enthusiasm was always contagious and Nozomi admitted to herself that she was famished so between those two things she couldn’t help but to start craving a donut.

“Only one, I promise.” She held up her hands in defense. “They look tasty. And ya don’t worry about the rest going to waste, Honoka-chan. Everyone can help me eat them. We’ll just have a donut party.”

“Oh thank goodness. I was hoping I would get to eat one. It was hard not to when I bought them. They all look so good!” Honoka came over to the bed, taking the donuts back from Umi and setting them down on the side table. “And I’m starving.”

“You always are,” Kotori giggled. “But let’s wait a few minutes on the pastry party. There’s still one more thing we have to do!”

“Oh?” the rest of the women looked at her. 

“That’s right!” Rin jumped up. She’d brought a bag in with her and she began to rummage around inside it until she found her camera. “Picture time! We gotta get one of all of us with the baby to celebrate! Then I’ll do shots of Nozomama and Papachika!” 

“So that’s why ya did my hair...” Nozomi looked over at Nico. 

“Maybe. Maybe not.” Nico shrugged as she stepped up next to the bed, choosing the prime spot next to Nozomi for the photo. 

“Right now?” Eli asked.

“Yep. Go with it.” Umi commented as she took Eli’s shoulders and guided her into position.

“But I look terrible.” Eli tried to straighten her hair. 

Hanayo helped Rin setup the tripod and camera.

“You look fine.” 

“Everyone get in the shot. You too Maki.” Rin said as Nico dragged her the redhead in next to her.

“I hate pictures...” Maki whined.

“But you look so good in them.” Nico kissed her cheek. “Now smile.”

Nozomi positioned Saki so she was facing the camera. Eli had sat next to them on the bed and put her arm around them.

“Alright! Is everyone ready?!” Rin asked as she hurried over to the bed and laid across Hanayo’s lap. As she did she threw up a few peace signs. “On the count of five now. One...”

“Are ya ready?” Nozomi kissed Eli’s cheek, the double meaning evident in her tone.

“Two...”

“Yes,” Eli looked tenderly from Nozomi to Saki resting in her arms. “I’m ready for this new adventure. Are you?”

“Three...”

As the ticking of the timer increased, Nozomi bubbled with laughter as she watched her friends assume their various poses. Each one reminding her of how wonderful and unique each of them were, right down to Umi’s stoic pose next to the bright and bubbly Kotori and Nico’s Super Idol pose as Maki smiled shyly at the camera. Even Eli’s innocent charm struck her as perfect. 

“I am.” Nozomi whispered.

“Four...”

“I have everything I need right here.”

“Say ‘Nya’!” Rin cheered and everyone smiled their brightest. 

The flash went off and the camera captured the moment in the annals of eternity. Nozomi knew that it would be the first entry in her newest and one of her most treasured photo albums.

“I’ve got my family with me.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE END  
> \---  
> For those interested:  
> Nozomi - 希  
> Saki - 咲希
> 
> I put a lot of thought into the name. I put a lot of thought into everything. Nothing is haphazard. My blood, sweat, and tears went into these final chapters. Especially this last one. 
> 
> But wait, I lied. This isn't the end. There's an epilogue. I'll see you all tomorrow with that. ^.^


	25. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again a huge, huge shout out for all of Nozoroomie's help beta'ing these last chapters. We would be nowhere with out her. Go read her stuff if you haven't already she's an amazing author.

The Christmas Tree was too tall for their living room. But that hadn’t deterred Eli or her enthusiasm when she went to set it up. She’d spent all day out in the last minute holiday crowds trying to find the perfect one for her daughter’s first Christmas. Nozomi suspected that she had traveled well beyond the Tokyo city limits to get her hands on it but a part of her didn’t want to know just how far she had gone out of her way to get the tree. So, she had praised her for her efforts and given her a kiss on the cheek as Eli puffed up with pride at bringing home the ‘perfect’ bounty. Yes, she was extremely pleased with herself until she discovered her severe size misjudgment. 

It had taken a full hour to set it up but once Eli had made up her mind about wanting something there was no stopping her. And that’s how the corner of their living room had been overflowed with an overly tall tree, it’s top bent and wedged into place against the ceiling. There was no room for a star on top of the tree, but Eli settled without one, saying that it was perfect in its imperfection. Nozomi’s mirthful response had only be a soothing ‘Yes, dear’ as she watched Eli think up her next plan of attack in order to decorate the thing.

That had been two days ago. Their weird ‘little’ tree had been a hit with their friends (sans Nico who couldn’t stop laughing at it) and Eli’s family had been quite taken with its over the top nature when they had come over for their Christmas Eve dinner party. Even with the minimal furniture in their house and their half moved in status, Eli had decided that having the celebration at their house would be far easier for Nozomi and little Saki if they didn’t have to exhaust themselves by traveling. It had been a long few weeks since they’d brought their daughter home from the hospital and they were all more than a bit sleep deprived but they hadn’t been happier as they had settled into their new routine in between moving from their apartment bit by bit. 

There had also been the cold weather to think about and neither of the new parents had wanted to risk any of them getting sick, especially little Saki; a sick baby was no one’s idea of a good time. It hadn’t snowed as much as the night Saki was born but Eli wasn’t taking any chances. And of course, her family understood. They had happily brought their food dishes to take over Eli and Nozomi’s kitchen and placed their presents underneath their tree. 

The party had been full of love and warmth. Eli’s family had each taken their turns fawning over Saki and how perfect she looked. They’d seen her before at the hospital but the Ayase family couldn’t get enough of the newborn, especially Alisa, who held her every opportunity she got. Nozomi was worried that the influx of attention Saki was getting would be too much for the little girl. But Eli had been able to soothe her worries and everything had gone fine in the end. Saki had only had cried a few times and that was only because she was hungry or needed to be changed. Nozomi had even gotten a number of great photos of the Ayase clan, including a number of candid shots of Eli’s Grandmother holding Saki as she looked up at the old woman with wide eyes. It had been one of her favorite moments of the night.

All in all, it had been a tiring but wonderful Christmas Eve. The best one in Nozomi’s recent memory.

So, why then had Nozomi had so much trouble sleeping that night after everyone left? 

It wasn’t because of the remaining mess of cups and plates in her sink. Eli had promised to do them in the morning and it certainly wasn’t because of the excitement of Christmas Morning that had, in all honestly, already arrived by the time Nozomi realized how late it had actually gotten. She was too old to be waiting up for Santa. She wasn’t Maki. 

The thought made Nozomi smile as she sat on the couch with a sleeping Saki pressed to her chest. She did her best to stifle the rising laughter in her chest. She didn’t want both of them to have to be awake if she could avoid it. Little Saki already had trouble sleeping for longer than a few hours before she woke up again needing feeding or consoling. Any small reprieve that Eli and Nozomi could get was a welcome one, even if Nozomi wasn’t spending it sleeping. 

Instead, she was watching the reflection of the lights from the Christmas tree dancing on the wall across from her. The lights on the tree were mesmerizing as the colors chased each other in and around the branches as they threw their twinkling reflections onto the objects around them. The silver tinsel on that adorned the tree sparkled in the light from where it had been draped over and under the endearing tree’s branches and among a handful of homemade ornaments that had been added. It created quite the festive look as Nozomi examined it, her eyes finally landing on her own reflection in the glass of a nearby picture frame that hung on the wall.

They had been able to put up most of their pictures in the living room prior to the party that evening so that Eli’s mother wouldn’t fuss about their new home looking bare. So, the picture she found herself reflected in was the one Rin had taken the day Saki had been born. It had been signed by all of her friends; a Christmas gift from μ's.

She smiled as she thought about just how far they had come since that day. It had only been a few weeks but her daughter was growing each and every day. And so were Eli and Nozomi as they picked up all of the little tips and tricks of being new parents. Some days were harder than others, the lack of sleep and midnight feedings notwithstanding. Hell, that was the reason why she had come into the living room in the first place to watch the lights on the tree as she fed Saki. It was a nice change of scenery, not that the nursery wasn’t nice. She just felt like she would disturb Eli’s sleep if she was too noisy so close to the bedroom.

Eli had given it her all over the past few weeks. When Nozomi was too tired or at the end of her rope, she would step in and take her from Nozomi, telling her to go rest or eat something especially after Eli had started having to go back to work last week. Her gentle caring was everything Nozomi hoped it would be from the time she and Eli had first discussed having a baby. Eli was their rock but with her family taking over their house for the day, Nozomi knew that her fiance needed her sleep.

Smiling at that thought, Nozomi sighed contentedly. She moved her hand to get a glimpse of the ring still on her finger but stopped when Saki shifted on her chest. She froze in spot as the newborn made a few noises. But it was a false alarm. Saki continued to sleep comfortably as she listened to Nozomi’s heartbeat.

“It’s 3:30 in the morning. What are you doing awake?” Eli appeared in the doorway to the room, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Her voice was heavy with it as well, giving it a gravely quality. “Did she give you trouble after her feeding?”

So Eli had heard her get out of bed. She’d tried to be so quiet too. 

Nozomi shook her head. “No, she was fine. A little squirmy but that’s nothing new. I just didn’t feel like going back to bed yet since she was sleeping so peacefully.”

The couch cushion next to Nozomi lowered slightly under Eli’s weight as she snuggled in next to her. “Understandable, but you need your sleep too, Nontan.” She planted a sleep kiss on her cheek and laid her head on her shoulder. Eli probably would have been contented to fall back asleep right there but she fought the urge. “Why are you really awake?”

Nozomi hummed noncommittally, but she knew that there was no use but to tell the truth. “Just thinkin’ about things.”

“Like what.” Eli’s hand was laid across Nozomi’s as she held their daughter. She watched the baby sleep as she listened. 

“A bunch of things. Mostly about Saki-chan. And you.” She kissed Eli’s nose making her giggle breathily, the deeper voice of half asleep Eli pleased her.

“Well, those are pleasant thoughts. Anything you want to share?”

“Not really. It’s been a good few weeks, hasn’t it?”

“Yes. I’ve never felt...” she let out a long yawn. “...better.”

“Liar. You’re as tired as I am.” Nozomi knowing smirk elicited a shrug from Eli.

“Yes, but I’m happy. Aren’t you?” 

“Very.”

“Then what’s going on in that brain of yours.” She nuzzled into her, her nose brushing against her cheek. 

“I was thinking a bit about the wedding.” She admitted. 

Eli smiled softly. “That is another happy thing to look forward but that won’t be for almost a year.” 

“I know. And we agreed that we wanted Saki to be a little older for the ceremony so that’s not the problem. I just...”

Nozomi fell into silence as she searched for the right words. Saki shifted against her chest again but this time it looked like she would wake up. 

But Eli was on it, she gently took the baby from Nozomi and cuddled her in her arms, humming a soft lullaby. In a few minutes, little Saki had fallen back into sleep.

“You’re so good at that,” Nozomi happily looked at her two girls. 

“I learned it from you.” Eli snorted as she continued to rock Saki. “I was a mess that first week. But now that I have my secret method.” she winked. “I got this.”

“So confident.” Nozomi kissed her cheek and laid on her side to face her. “Talk to me again when she’s a teenager.”

“I’m offended you would bring that up in such a happy moment.” Eli said in mock disgust. “No need to ruin her infant years with thoughts of the teens. You know what we were like.”

“Cute, responsible and mature for our age?” Nozomi offered.

“Yes, we were those things but you were also quite the trickster. Still are. And I was moody. God, was I moody. Especially right before I entered high school. Remind me to apologize to my mother when I see her tomorrow.”

“Ah, the perfect Christmas present - remorse.” She giggled

Eli smiled and watched the movement of the laugh lines in Nozomi’s face. Her favorites were the little creases next to Nozomi’s eyes that crinkled when she laughed. They had been growing with each year that passed. A happy reminder of everything she loved about their lives. 

“I strive for perfection.”

“The cute and clever Elichika always has.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t answer my original question.” She stood up and beckoned Nozomi to follow her to the nursery.

A sigh escaped Nozomi’s lips as she followed along. “I got a package in the mail yesterday.”

“Oh? Who was it from?” Eli didn’t bother turning on the overhead lights in the nursery. The glow from the nightlight was all she needed to make it across to Saki’s crib.

“My father,” Nozomi’s smile was conflicted as she stepped in front of Eli and straightened the sheets and blanket. 

Eli pursed her lips as she gently set the baby down on her back inside the crib. She made sure she was still asleep and secured before she took a few steps back. “Just him?”

Nozomi nodded. “Yeah. Just him. I don’t think my mother knew that he sent it. The card was only signed by him.”

Eli’s tension eased. She nodded again. “What’d he say?” She put her arm around Nozomi as they stood there, talking in barely above a whisper. 

“That he hoped I was well. He wanted to send Christmas gifts to us and Saki. He sent you chocolate from his post in belgium.” She smiled at Eli.

“Harasho...” Eli whispered.

“I think he’s trying to bribe you.” Nozomi’s hands were around Eli’s waist. 

“I’ll consider the offer but I make no promises. How do you feel about it? Was that all he said?” She guided her out of the nursery and just around the corner to their bedroom. They got in bed, Eli sliding in behind Nozomi. 

“He apologized. For everything. Even Mama’s behavior.”

This earned several blinks from Eli. She propped herself up on her arm as she looked down at Nozomi. “Wow. That’s...big.”

“I know.” Nozomi’s voice was flat. 

“And how do you feel about it?” She moved a strand of Nozomi’s hair out of her face.

“I’m uncertain,” She admitted. “But I am also pleased by it even if it is unexpected. I would think he wouldn’t want to talk to me because of what I said to Mama.’

Eli shook her head. “I think he realized a lot of things that day, not one of which was how stupid your mother was being.”

Nozomi didn’t seem to want to comment on that last part. 

“Hey,” Eli called her back from her thoughts. “It’s okay to think that, you know? Her behavior wasn’t good and you saw it. And you stood up for yourself. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”

“I’m not and I won’t. I guess I feel a little guilty for wanting to respond to his letter and not write my mother. Not yet, at least.” She rolled onto her back so she could see Eli’s face better.

“Don’t feel guilty about that. Your father offered you a peace offering. An apology. Your mother hasn’t done that yet. And it’s up to you how and when you start rebuilding your bridges if you even want to at all. No pressure from anyone. Certainly not me.”

“Thank you,” Nozomi caressed Eli’s cheek as she stared up at her.

“Anytime,” she leaned into the hand. 

They were quiet once more as they looked at each other, Eli stealing an occasional kiss. 

“We should sleep.” She murmured as she settled down against Nozomi’s back. “We’ve gotta be up for another round of Ayase family Christmas in a few hours.”

She let out another yawn as her eyes began to drop. 

“You’re right, we do.” Nozomi said, feeling like she might be able to sleep at last. Eli’s close proximity had helped to steady her breathing into an even rhythm. But before Eli’s could enter into the realm of light snoring, Nozomi turned around in her arms.

Eli slowly opened her eyes again. She hummed in question as Nozomi dug her fingers into her nightshirt. “What is it?”

“I think...” Nozomi breathed. “I don’t think I’m ready to forgive Mama yet. Things are so convoluted right now there that it will be a while before I can.”

Eli nodded. “That’s more than fair. If she wants to change she will. Until then don’t worry about it. If the time comes you can decide to see her or not too. I’ll support whatever you want.”

It had taken a week after the incident at the hospital for Eli to tell Nozomi what she’d said to her mother. She’d been shocked at first but ultimately relieved that something that the two of them had said had finally gotten through to stubborn Mama Tojo. 

Eli tucked her head under her chin, pulling her closer. “I sense there is something else you want to say.”

“Well, I...” Nozomi furrowed her brow. “What do you think about inviting Papa to come see Saki?” 

She felt Eli’s expression shift, her eyebrows were most likely raised. She continued.

“Not right away. That wouldn’t be practical. He’s in Europe anyway on business. But given time I think I want to make it work. And I want him to meet our daughter. I think he would love her as much as I do.”

“I think he would too.” Eli relaxed. 

“Maybe in a couple of months if he’s in the area. And only by himself. And if that goes well, I’d kind of like him to be at the wedding. We’ve always been closer than Mama and me. I know it’s a lot to hope for but maybe we can go back to that. What do you think?” Nozomi was clearly asking for Eli’s permission. That wouldn’t do.

“It doesn’t matter what I think, Nontan. Would it make you happy?” She asked in all seriousness.

Nozomi chew on the answer for a long minute. Her eyes were glassy with emotion when she finally nodded. “Yes, I think it would.”

“Then that’s all that matters.” She planted a kiss on top of her head. “Now sleep.”

“Alright,” Nozomi laughed as she settled into Eli’s embrace. “I love you, Elichi.”

“I love you too, Nozomi.” Another yawn as Eli’s eyes shut again. “Sweet dreams, my lovely girl--”

The cry that came from the other room made both of them groan. They had been so close. Their daughter had the perfect timing, something she knew she had inherited from Nozomi’s lucky side of the family. Nozomi shifted from her comfortable position, moving to slip out from under the covers. But Eli’s hand stopped her.

“No, stay. I’ll get her. You sleep. You deserve it.” Another kiss planted on Nozomi’s forehead and Eli was sitting up. 

Nozomi giggled but let Eli have it. She was now too tired to argue as she stayed under the blankets and Eli slipped out of them. 

It was going to be another long night but they wouldn’t have it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, everyone. This has been a great ride. It’s been a year since I started this story on a whim and it developed into something more than I could have possibly imagined. Through my passion for this growing little family I have managed to create a story that I am very proud of. It was also with everyone’s support that I was able to push through and make it the best that I possibly could. 
> 
> A huge shout out to all of the readers who have been with me from the beginning. Your support and encouragement in the comments have made light work of so many words. To my newer readers, I’m glad you found this story and welcomed it into your lives with such enthusiasm.  
> To my writer friends who cheered me on and beta’d chapters for me and smacked me on the forehead for my bad tenses - Thank you. Without you writing wouldn’t be so much fun and I love how we support each other and our projects.
> 
> We’ve made it to the end of this story. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. It’s an odd feeling finally finishing a story but it is very satisfying. I will miss this project but for now it is finished. I hope to do some more writing in this ‘verse once I’ve had a break a regrouped. Those will likely be one shots and I may even open up prompt requests for them eventually if there is something my readers really want to see. If I do so, I will do it over on my tumblr, so look out for it there. 
> 
> If you haven’t followed me yet I’m over at IcarusWings87.tumblr.com. Drop me a line there if you wanna chat about this story or any of the others that I’ve published or am working on. I’d love to hear from you there and here in the comments. 
> 
> And now, I rest for a few days. I will say that I’ve been working on a new story at the same time as this one. It’s a Nozoeli AU inspired by the Harry Potter books and ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.’ I’m excited to share it with you very soon so be on a lookout for it in the meantime.  
> Thank you again for all the love and support. And thank you for being so fond of the Parfait Gays and their new baby, Saki. I’m proud of what I have created. I’m glad you loved it as well.
> 
> But for now, this is Caruso signing off. 
> 
> Ja ne!


End file.
